


Unbound

by 221B_Marauder



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Antisemitism, Dating violence, Discussion of Abortion, Domestic, Families of Choice, M/M, Mpreg, Unplanned Pregnancy, X-Men: First Class (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:20:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21714451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/221B_Marauder/pseuds/221B_Marauder
Summary: Newest Columbia faculty member Charles suffers from the unexpected case of a one night stand pregnancy. Determined to not live his life under the thumb of his overbearing family or his oppressive on-and-off again boyfriend trying to lock Charles down, he instead turns towards a struggling undergrad at NYU and his mother.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 6
Kudos: 186





	Unbound

**Author's Note:**

> Watched a Movie called 'Don't blame the kid' on netflix once and I thought it was trashy enough for X-men First Class Erik and Charles. This fic is based off that movie.
> 
> Warnings in the tags.
> 
> Title shamelessly taken from Avenged Sevenfold.

“Drink, Charles. Come on.” Raven sighed. She would be annoyed with her brother in his current mopey state if it weren’t for the fact she knew why he was currently acting this way. Once again, Sebastian Shaw had done something that made Charles break up with him. He wouldn’t tell her what it was this time, what he’d said, but Charles had told her that it was enough and he wouldn’t be taking it any longer. 

“He’d asked me to move in.” Murmurs Charles as he throws back the shot of tequila that Raven had placed in front of him. “And then he… he… no, nevermind,” he shakes his head, reaching out for the bottle Raven had taken from the bar for their personal use. “I need more,” he nodded as he eyeballed the bottle; deciding between pouring tequila into his whisky glass or drinking directly from the bottle.

Raven glanced beside Charles to both Moira and Alex who were giving their friend a worried look. Clearly they were also being kept from the information that was making Charles react this way. “How did you go from almost moving in with him to breaking up with him instead?” Alex asks, confused. For as long as he’s known Charles, he’s been in a long term relationship with the Alpha in question.

Charles giggled, clearly intoxicated. “I wouldn’t sleep with him,” he shrugs, “I didn’t want to move in with him either because I knew he… I knew he’d expect more. Y’know?”

Charles misses the looks his friends share between each other. This was worrying. Of all the answers, they hadn’t expected something like this. Charles had always been mum about his weird relationship with the much older Alpha. 

Moira leaned in with concern. “Charles, he didn’t force you? Did he?” She asked, a concerned hand falling onto his arm that was lifting the shot glass up to his face and stalling him. “Because if he did…” She trailed off as Charles shook his head frantically making himself dizzy.

“Nah. Don’t worry about it. Nothin’ happened,” Charles assured them, using his free hand to clumsily pat Moira’s hand holding onto him. “It’s over and no longer a problem,” he threw back the shot, no longer grimacing at the burn, proof Charles was wasted as he couldn’t even feel it anymore, "I just need to stay the hell away from him," he muttered the last bit under his breath.

“Now see that Erik! That’s how you drink tequila! Mind if we sit?” A tall Omega stumbled into Alex’s shoulder as he plopped himself down into the empty seat beside him. “I see a personal bottle half-full which means you four need more friends to finish that off.” 

The friends looked at the newcomers with silent judgement. Charles on the other hand perked up. “Sit down! Sit down! The more the merrier!” he looked up to the remaining Alpha still standing over the group, getting caught in his direct gaze.

“I can’t say no to that invitation.” The newcomer drawled in an accented voice as he sat down, smirking at Charles, eyes never leaving his.

Charles blinked, caught off balance at the look before beaming back. His mood suddenly lifting.

“I think you should stop drinking,” Erik murmured, sitting close to Charles’s side as their group made plans to head down to the beach. They had been talking about something before Erik had reached out to weigh down the drink Charles was going for and leaning in to speak.

“But I want to have fun.” Charles whined, looking up at Erik imploringly. “This will ensure that."

Erik frowned down at him. “You can have fun without getting blackout drunk Charles. You have to be careful.”

“Then you have to make sure I have fun.” Charles sighed, letting go of his glass back onto the table untouched. “Could I get some water?”

Erik smiled at him. “I’ll go get us some water. Try to eat something, yeah?” He looked pointedly to the snacks on their table before getting up. He couldn’t help but do what Erik asked, picking at the food the Alpha had plated for him.

Immediately Raven was elbowing him lightly. “I think he likes you.”

Charles smiled back. He was sure Erik liked him too and suddenly his smile turned into a smirk. “Good. I like him too.”

Their party eventually moved down to the beach where Charles became very affectionate. “Maybe you should sober up,” Erik gasped, pulling away from Charles’s lips and hiding at the crook of the Omega’s neck to keep himself from devouring such a willing partner.

“But I want you,” Charles gasped, fingers running through the mussed hair on Erik’s nape. “I want you. Say you want me too. Please? Please?” Charles asked, pulling Erik’s head up from where he was hiding it and bringing his mouth back onto his. “Please?”

“Wait. Let’s just wait. Only for a little while longer.” Erik sighed, giving in and kissing Charles again. He’d hold out until Charles sobered up. Then, if Charles still wanted to, they could go back to one of their rooms.

They stayed out to watch the sunrise. Erik had his arm wrapped around Charles’ shoulders, keeping him warm in the cool breeze. “How are you feeling?” Everyone else had passed out on the beach or gone back to their rooms. Some people hadn’t stopped drinking at all.

Charles burrowed deeper into Erik’s side. He’d never felt this cared for. This content in anyone else’s arms. “Sleepy.” 

“Not sick? Nausea? Headache?” Erik pressed.

Charles shook his head. “No, someone made me drink water instead of alcohol and kept bringing me food to eat.” 

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Erik stopped their walking and tipped Charles slightly backwards in his arm as he leaned down and over the Omega, planting a soft kiss on his lips. 

Charles kissed him back for a long moment. Arms unwrapping from around Erik’s waist to balance one on his hip and the other reaching up to hold Erik’s jaw and keep his mouth against his. When they separated, they stared at each other for a short while. “Walk me back to my room?” Charles asked, feeling shy. He really wanted this.

“Of course.” Erik smiled at him. “Have your keycard?”

Charles nodded and led the way to his room. Erik was giving him a goodbye kiss, reluctantly pulling away, when Charles used his weight to drag Erik into the room.

“You sure?” The alpha asked breathlessly, immediately hands running up and down Charles’s sides as they looked at each other after the heavy shut of the door.

“Yes.” Charles vocalized. “So sure. Come here.” He did his best to climb the alpha, causing them both to burst out into muffled laughter before Erik hauled him closer.

“Tell me you have condoms.” Erik asked as he stopped from his reflex to remove his own clothes as quickly as possible. “I didn’t exactly plan for this so…-” 

“Maybe... maybe the hotel has complimentary ones?” Charles asked as he pulled off his jacket regardless of the issue at hand. Erik stopped to watch him before he hurriedly stood to search the restroom but eventually came back empty handed. Charles could hear him frantically searching as he in turn glanced around the room to see if any would magically pop up.

Charles sighed and stopped removing the rest of his clothes as a shower of sand rained down from his person. He didn't want to get sand in certain places. “I need a shower, there's sand everywhere." He called out before Erik was walking back into the room, then he asked shyly if Erik would also like one.

Erik leaned a bit awkwardly at the desk near Charles as he nodded. "Yeah, you go first. I'll try to locate some er… condoms. Couldn't find any in there.

"OK," Charles breathed out. Then he rushed into the bathroom to get himself ready. He'd never actually had to do this before. But he'd thought about it enough that his steps made logical sense to him. The last bit of it being rinsing himself off and out.

Erik meanwhile had gone through the rooms drawers for condoms without disturbing Charles's things before giving up and picking up the hotel phone and calling the front desk to ask for A/O condoms.

The person who answered, answered him as nonjudgmentally as possible that they didn't provide A/O condoms, only neutral ones. It was simply an outcome of a conservative society. Omegas weren’t regarded as promiscuous so Omega centered necessities weren’t exactly a norm.

He'd deliberated for a moment before asking them to send them up asap. There was a small chance they could still work. Besides, Charles was soon out and wrapped in a bathrobe while Erik was biting his thumb nail waiting for his turn in the bathroom.

"I called the desk. Someone's bringing up neutral condoms so if there's a knock that's probably them."

Charles bit his bottom lip and nodded. "There's soap in the bath and you can use the complimentary toothbrush. I brought mine from home."

Erik grinned and walked over to Charles, hand going behind the omegas head and pulling him in for a kiss. "I'll be right out."

Charles let out a shaky breath and yet still smiled to himself. He'd known what he had been waiting for all this time and respectful, kind, generous, gorgeous, and fun was more than he could have ever asked for. He turned on the TV to distract himself, using the sleeve of his bathrobe to dry his hair.

Someone eventually knocked on the door and Charles opened it with as much dignity as he could muster. Everyone did it. Everyone had sex. There was nothing to be ashamed of. He slipped them a five and shut the door as quickly and quietly as he possibly could. 

In no time Erik was exiting the bathroom, his hair had been scrubbed in an attempt to dry it and therefore stuck up everywhere. Most interesting to Charles however was the towel wrapped low on his hips.

“Abs…” Charles murmured to what he thought was himself. Erik chuckled appreciatively and walked up to him, pulling him into a slow lazy kiss. Charles kissed back, reaching out with his full hand and handing over the condoms to Erik during their kiss.

When they pulled back, Charles took a step back before unwrapping his bathrobe. He stood there for a few seconds as he shyly made eye contact with Erik before sitting on the edge of the bed, his bathrobe pooling down from his shoulders and to his hips around him. 

Erik stalked towards him, leaning over Charles to thoroughly kiss him this time. Charles pushed himself further back up on the bed, Erik crawling in after him.

He knew what he was asking of Erik was a bit taboo. It was one thing to partake in sex before mating but it was another to do so with someone you’d only just met. If they had been Betas or Alphas this would be expected. If they had been Alpha-Beta this would have been understandable. But Charles was Omega and therefore expected to remain virtuous for his Alpha.

Fuck that.

“Charles, are you sure. You could get pregnant.” Erik couldn’t help himself, he had to make sure. Despite what he was being offered was a gift. Not many Omegas were willing to mate without it being a permanent agreement, usually sex came after promises between Alpha and Omega. 

Charles laughed, sitting up he reached for Erik’s hand and tugged at Erik to hover over him. “I want this. Don’t you?.” He looked up at the Alpha towering over him and still felt a bit shy but more than anything, wanting to be with Erik. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Erik groaned in agreement and sunk down onto Charles who opened his arms and legs to cradle Erik to him. He kissed the Omega, pushing his own towel off and kicking it off the bed. They were both now naked. He nipped the Omega’s mating gland, soothing his tongue over it a few times. It had the intended effect. Charles gasped, shivered and canted his hips towards him, slick production increasing, their bodies heating together. 

He slid down the smaller body all Omegas had. Stopping to focus on his small cock before finding his intended target. He pressed his mouth over the opening and Charles pressed closer in his moment of greed. A cry erupting out in the room.

Erik kept his attention to the same place until Charles stiffened and then went limp, body shivering in aftershocks to Erik’s action and Charles’s orgasm. “Still want to?” Erik gasped, tongue licking away the mess at his mouth. He was full and heavy, ready to finish. If Charles wanted to stop here, they would. They could just fall asleep instead after a long night. 

“Yes.” With effort, Charles lifted his head and reached out for Erik, coaxing him up the bed towards him. Erik crawled up Charles’ body towards his head until Charles pulled him down into a deep kiss. “Come on Erik.” His breath hitched as he pulled his knees up and guided one of Erik’s hands to grab onto his thigh. 

He wanted Erik’s hands everywhere. His mouth everywhere. 

Erik brushed his tired tongue over Charles’s and rolled over the exhausted Omega before sitting back. Fumbling with the condoms he managed to roll one on. He was as exhausted as Charles was, but the drive to have sex, to knot Charles overrode anything else. Charles was so willing and so responsive he couldn’t deny himself this. He leaned over Charles, balancing on one forearm as he guided himself to Charles’ entrance with the other. He maintained eye contact with Charles to both check his continued consent and to eat up the reactions. Especially his fluttering lashes, blue eyes disappearing and reappearing.

Erik pressed forward, the tight hot sensation came immediately. Erik pushed Charles’ hips back onto the bed and instead pushed himself in slowly until there was nothing more but tight slick heat. He fell onto both forearms, not wanting to crush Charles, not wanting to look away from his expressive face either. 

He pistoned his hips experimentally and with each gasp Charles gave, went harder. After a short moment they were staring into each other's eyes, leaning in to kiss, pulling away and panting, Charles arching in his arms, and Erik didn’t change his rhythm until his knot started making an appearance and he slowed down to keep outside. Charles had other ideas.

“Stay. Stay.” Charles begged beautifully, pulling Erik down closer to rest his heavier weight against the smaller Omega. 

“I’m knotting.” He groaned, wanting to give a last warning, meeting Charles’ eyes again for confirmation. This condom wouldn’t hold. Not with a knot inside. The Omega was flushed, breathing heavy, and damp to the touch.

“Yes. Come on Erik.” Charles’s hitching breath gasped into his ear, arms and legs tightening around his body as his hole gripped him in a vice grip, bringing Erik down and to his lips. 

Erik couldn’t pull out anymore and with the first wave of release had to hold tightly onto something. His mouth slipped from Charles’s lips and down his jaw to his neck for his teeth to find Charles’s mating gland. He bit hard enough to bruise but not enough to permanently mate the Omega.

With a muffled whimper, Erik rolled them over to give Charles reprieve from the uncomfortable position. He notices Charles hasn’t come and understands, grinds his hips upwards, causing Charles’ eyes to flutter shut at the sensation and hands to slide up Erik’s chest as he undulates. Moan coming from deep in his chest.

Erik continued despite his exhaustion, unable to look away from the Omega falling apart, watched closely until Charles settled into his arms sated and trusting. They were sticky and tied together for the next half hour.

Erik didn’t leave Charles’ room when they finally separated. Instead, he stayed. The condom predictably didn’t hold but in their current state, they simply didn’t seem to care. They managed to shower, have sex again, eat, watch TV, have more sex, and stayed locked in the hotel room together until frantic knocks woke them up with Charles curled into Erik’s side. Charles had to go. There was a plane to catch. 

Charles called off his sister, letting her know he’d meet her in the lobby for checkout. They said goodbye in the room as Erik helped him pack between distraction. A final goodbye outside the locked door as Charles walked away, smiling bashfully at the Alpha who couldn’t look away.

Erik made his way out of the hotel and down the street to his own room a few miles away that he was supposed to be sharing. He was too knot drunk to remember how his key worked. Darwin had to let him in, laughing at his state. It wasn’t until after breakfast and they were making plans to drive back that Erik realized he’d lost his phone. And that he didn’t have Charles’ number or email memorized. 

He didn’t even have a last name.

* * *

“Fuck.” Charles hissed as he tipped sideways away from the toilet and leaned against the lip of the bathtub as he trembled. He flushed the toilet blindly as he concentrated on his breathing. After a few moments of rest he forced himself to stand and take the one step to his sink. As he looked at himself in the mirror he saw the same red rimmed eyes and nose with a pale face he’d gotten used to looking at.

Avoiding his thoughts he turned the knob and began brushing his teeth to get rid of the sour taste in his mouth. Spitting out the bit of toothpaste he eyed himself in the mirror again as he splashed and dried his face before stepping out of his bathroom and crossing his living room to pick up his keys and wallet from the bowl he kept near his front door.

Briskly, he walked down from his apartment to the nearest convenience store. Sure, the clerk who was always nice to him would remember this purchase. But he was done being ignorant. He needed to be mature about this.

He grit his teeth as soon as he pushed into the store and went to the far side of the store to personal items and picked up a two count box for Male Omega pregnancy tests. Taking a steadying breath he walked to check out where the clerk was waiting.

As the clerk took the box to scan he looked across at Charles. “Well hell Chuck. Have you gotten yourself in the family way?”

Charles sighed, glancing down to his feet. “Maybe? It’s what the test is for. To check.”

“Well damn.” He sighed sympathetically as he rung him up. 

“Yeah.” Charles agreed with him. He hoped it was just a scare too.

“Shaw’s gonna be happy I guess.”

“It’s not a scare!” 

“What the fuck!” Raven shouted in alarm. “Charles, what the hell are you talking about?”

Charles forced himself to take a calming breath before bringing his phone back to his ear. “Raven,” His voice shook as he tried to be calm about it. “Can you meet me at my apartment? Please?” 

“I’m on my way,” Raven assured him, the click of her heels on the pavement suddenly speeding up as she probably headed for the bus. “Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?”

Charles shook his head frantically. “No, no. Just let yourself in,” he said as he hung up.

He dropped his phone onto the couch and brought up fisted hands to press against his forehead. It all made sense. The smell and chest sensitivity. The nausea and bloating. Especially the fatigue. God, the fatigue. 

A student eating in the front row as he tried to lecture about an hour ago was the tipping point. He was a little embarrassed at his reaction but the onion from the subway sandwich had twisted his gut in a reminder of his early mornings. He’d stopped his lecture to remind students that he would not allow any distractions in class and if they had to eat in class to please take it to the back of the room.

The guilty student had turned bright red and had as quietly as possible wrapped up his sandwich and dropped it back into his backpack. It didn’t help that the smell of onion lingered around the front row. He ended his lecture ten minutes early to get away from the smell while his students happily left early.

Now he was at his own apartment during lunch before he had to return to campus for his late afternoon office hours followed by an evening lecture. He anxiously waited on his younger sister to help him get his life together.

His jar of tomato sauce was sitting just outside of his apartment. It had been what prompted his early return to the porcelain temple. The plan to make spaghetti to last the entire week instantly went to the dogs.

“Why do you have an open jar of tomato sauce outside?” Raven called as she let herself in holding the jar in her hand while she gave it a bemused look.

“Leave it outside!” Charles shouted from his kitchen as he dramatically scrambled away from Raven and the jar. She looked at him before silently stepping backwards out of his apartment before reappearing empty handed. Hands held up in surrender.

“What the hell Charles?”

“I haven’t deleted my facebook. Get your laptop.” Raven demanded as she kicked off her shoes and sat down on Charles’ couch. If Charles is right, then the father must be from the wedding night. Too bad they were all too wasted to really remember what happened that night.

“Here,” Charles said breathlessly as he fell beside her. “Take it, please. His name is Erik.”

Raven signed into her account and had multiple tabs open of people who had albums of the Salvador-Frost wedding in minutes. In the photos Raven was tagged in Charles was also present but then again so were a large amount of people.

On the third tab and fifteen minutes in, Raven was skipping through lengthy videos to see if they were present. There was one where the wedding was already over and they had gone onto the private beach of the resort they were at for the wedding.

“There!” Raven shouted as she dragged the time back a minute or so.

Charles cringed at the shouts and laughter of the drunk group. Blushed hard when he saw himself on the screen looking up and grinning at the video taker from where he was straddling and in the process of making out with a very handsome figure with a strong back. That figure instead of looking at the camera leaned forward, closer to Charles, and did something to Charles’s neck that the video taker captured as he practically melted back into what he was doing before the distraction. Before the video started to pan away to another part of the celebration Charles hit the spacebar.

“That’s him. But there’s no tag..” Charles murmured as his hand reached up to smooth over his bonding gland. He had a faint memory of teeth but clearly he wasn’t bonded.

“Now we just need to find a face to go with that body.” Raven whistled.

“Raven!” Charles admonished in surprise at her reaction.

“What? He’s clearly fit!” She challenged.

“Raven!” Charles exclaimed. “I’m pregnant! I need to find him!” He pointed at the frozen screen where Charles was obviously in the process of being pushed backwards into the sand with Erik on top of him, all with the proof of Charles’ arms around the broad shoulders keeping Erik close.

“Alright. Alright?” She replied, perfectly chastised. They went through the video again in case they missed a showing of his face. Raven needed to know what she was looking for. Unlike Charles, she didn’t remember Erik.

They looked through a few other photos from the beach and noticed a broad shouldered man who towered over Charles or was all over Charles. Well, they were all over each other. A few of Charles on his toes holding onto the biceps leaning up to kiss the stranger. The stranger wrapping his arms around Charles’ middle, plastered to his back, as they grinned silly-like at the camera.

“We were so drunk.” Charles sighed in disappointment as he stared at the father of his illicit passenger. Well, they weren’t drunk when they made the baby. But Raven didn’t need to know that.

“You two will make a beautiful baby.” Raven mentioned as a matter of fact. 

“Yeah, I don’t think I'm keeping it.” Charles stood up from his couch after taking a photo of his laptop screen of both Charles and Erik. “No way in hell can I afford it. I can’t take too much time off work, wouldn’t be able to afford a babysitter anyway,” even if he wanted to.

A few quick taps and he brings the phone up to his ear. “Emma dear,” He starts brightly, “I’m sorry to call you on your honeymoon. I’m sending you a picture and need you to let me know if you know this man. Please? His name is Erik if that helps.”

He holds eye contact with Raven as Emma checks on her side. His face falls when she admits she doesn’t recognize him. “Okay, thank you dear. You’ll get back to me if Angel recognizes him? Thank you, it’s very important.”

“I’m going to find him.” Charles swore as he stepped into his tiny kitchen. “He needs to know. Do you want anything to eat? I’m making a sandwich before I head back to campus,” he barrels on as Raven stares at him in confusion.

“Wait. Why does he need to know?”

* * *

Emma had called him back a few hours later when Raven had already gone home. According to Angel, the stranger was the plus one, a friend to her old neighborhood friend Armando. With a little pleading, Charles had Armando’s address and that was exactly where he was heading to at 7PM after he was finished on campus. Raven hadn’t been there to talk sanity with him.

He hasn’t been to Brooklyn before and now the taxi was taking him to one of the apartment complexes there. The cab was ordered to wait and Charles jogged inside the unlocked front door and started heading upstairs. It was late, hopefully Armando was home from whatever he did during the day.

After knocking a few times the door finally opened and a young man appeared. He bit back the surprise at seeing what was clearly another Omega and one that had stuck to Alex’s side in the photos of the wedding night if he remembered correctly.

“Hi! You probably don’t remember me, I’m Charles. We met at Emma and Angel’s wedding a few weeks back. I need your help locating Erik.” He lifted his phone with a better photo of Erik wrapped around him that Raven had sent him.

“Come in?” Armando managed to get out in his surprise and confusion.

“Thank you,” Charles stepped into the small and very tidy apartment. “I just need his address.”

“I hope you understand that I don’t feel comfortable giving a near stranger my best friend’s address.”

“It’s for a very good reason,” he tried

Still, when Darwin resisted Charles smiled at him thinly, lifted the phone up to his ear as he waited for Emma to answer. “Hi Emma. Yeah, I’m here with Armando. Can you please get Angel to speak with him? Sure. Thank you, love.” He hung up and held onto his phone loosely at his side, watching Armando as if he were waiting for something to happen.

Just as Charles was about to fidget, a ring sounded from the kitchen. “You should get that,” Charles mentioned towards the sound as he moved into the living room and sat on the futon without invitation.

When Armando returned to his eyesight he was yanking a notebook from his backpack and scribbling something on paper before tearing it out. “You might want to call him before you get there. He gets angry if people show up uninvited or without warning.” 

“Thank you,” Charles said with sincerity as he walked himself to the door and stepped out to jog back to his waiting taxi. “Thanks for waiting,” he said breathlessly to the driver as he closed the door behind him. “Had to get this address from a friend. Can you take me here next please?”

The Taxi driver eyed him critically before handing back the sheet of paper and leading him to another apartment complex about twenty minutes away. He was told as they arrived that Charles had to pay his cab fee now and call another cab to pick him up when he was ready.

It was clear the cab driver thought Charles was up to something not good considering he was driving from one apartment to another government housing apartment with his old satchel. Gritting his teeth, he stepped outside onto the curb and looked up at the building where the father of his baby lived. He instantly felt embarrassed. He’d insisted on having sex even after the condom failed. Held Erik closer every time his teeth sunk shallowly onto his mating gland. Had practically begged for his knot over and over again. Erik had been a good Alpha and given him everything he’d asked for.

It was ridiculous because before, when he’d been in the act, he hadn’t felt a single shred of concern for his well being until now where he was faced with the complex before him.

The windows to the front door were cracked and dirty but he pushed through, making a beeline for the elevator. He had to get to the seventh floor and he’d wait for it to reach the ground floor to do so. After a long wait a large group spilled out from the elevator laughing and clearly going out for the night. He smiled tightly at them before stepping into the elevator and pushing the dirty button to the seventh floor.

Room 708 was his destination. The hallways were narrow. The walls were paper thin. He could hear a pair screaming at each other the closer he got to the right door. Luckily, the sound continued further along when he stopped outside a quiet unassuming door with the number 708. He knocked.

Holding his breath, he heard a quiet slow shuffle towards the door, a pause, before the door opened.

The breath he held rushed out of him as a fragile older woman smiled at him in confusion. “Can I help you?” She asked him, in a heavily accented English as she held onto the door.

Charles stared at her before shaking his head. “No, no. I’m sorry. I think I got the wrong floor,” he frowned down at the paper in his hand. She smiled warmly at him as she nodded and the door was being closed. The memory of a low and slightly accented voice in his ear caused him to call out for her even as he cringed. “Wait! I’m sorry. Does Erik live here? Erik Lehnsherr?”

She tilted her head at him before making a few come-here downward sweeping motions at him with her entire arm. “My son. Will be out of shower soon. Sit.” 

Charles bit his lip as he stepped through the door and closed it behind him as he followed her in. She moved slowly, as if something hurt if she moved too quickly. She tipped into a comfortable looking armchair with a huffed oof sound. “Sit. What is your name?” She told him again.

Charles gingerly sat down on the closest available space on the two seater couch. “My name is Charles ma’am. It is nice to meet you.” He answered respectfully as his pulse thrummed in his neck. Erik was in the shower. He was meeting Erik’s mother. Maybe he could convince Erik to speak to him outside to spare the woman?

“Charles a good name. My name is Edie.” She smiled at him as she found a comfortable position with a few wiggles. “How you two meet?”

Charles bit his lip before deciding to go with the truth. “We met at a wedding. A few weeks ago.”

The older lady laughed, excited pointing at him now. “Aaah, I see. My son a great provider. You Omega yes? He strong Alpha. Very smart. But too busy for Omega now, yes? Omega need much attention. Okay. Don’t expect bond and marriage so soon. Yes?” And then she winked at him.

Charles stared at her in confusion. Her accent making it difficult to follow what she was saying. He let out a small confused laugh and decided to just nod, “Yes. That’s exactly right.” He had no idea what she had said or what he was agreeing with.

“Good. Good.” She hummed happily as she picked up two large knitting needles and a thick string she worked it with.

Charles nodded, feeling slightly out of his element as he looked around the small apartment. The living room was a little smaller than his, the kitchen even more so. But it was homey and clean if a little shabby. It didn’t look like the home of a bachelor but then again Erik could have moved in with his mother.

A beeping sound brought his attention back to Edie who reached into the side of her seat and pulled out a large square but thin plastic rattling box. She stared at it for a few seconds before prying open a clear lid and shaking what were pills into her hand.

Charles watched as she shook her hand to be able to spread out the pills and see every individual one. The lady was on a lot of medication. But she was very organized. Except when she lifted her glass on the table beside her it was empty.

He remembered how it looked like walking was difficult for her and took his satchel off to stay on the couch as he leaned towards her with a hand out. “Would you like some water?” He asked hesitantly, not knowing how she’d react.

Her smile was wide and pleased. “Tap water. Water in fridge too cold and hurts the teeth.”

Charles nodded and took the empty glass from her, walking into the kitchen.

In the light of the kitchen the glass had smudges and he set about washing it real quick with the soap and sponge at the sink. Rinsing it repeatedly he made sure he wiped it down with a nearby dish towel before filling it with tap water and returning to Edie. “Here you go,” he murmured gently as he placed the glass in her hand and waited for her to get a good grip.

“Thank you dear.” She smiled again before knocking all the pills into her mouth at once and taking gulps of water. 

Charles couldn’t even take a nyquil pill without gagging a few times. 

“Mama, what’s this?” A low and familiar accented voice asked in clear confusion.

Charles glanced up in shock and made eye contact with Erik. Alpha. Tall. Broad shouldered. Big hands. Strong. Frowning. Damp hair from the shower. Bare footed as he stepped into the living room. 

Edie set her glass of water on the table and sat up happily. “Sit Erik! Charles found you from wedding. Very handsome and good manners. Healthy Omega” she looked between Erik and Charles.

“Hellooo…” Charles trailed off feeling suddenly shy. This man got him pregnant in one night. “We met at Emma and Angel’s wedding? Charles Xavier.”

Erik stepped even closer, his surprise and interest unmistakable. “Charles? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?”

Charles bit his lip as he blindly reached for the strap of his satchel. Standing up he slipped it on across his torso without breaking eye contact with Erik, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment. “It’s an interesting story. Can I talk to you? In private?”

It looked as if Erik was going to kick him out of the apartment before he stepped back with his arm out in invitation towards the direction he’d just come from. With a frustrated sigh the Alpha herded him past him and further into the apartment when he hesitated for too long.

Charles quietly thanked Edie and Erik murmured something to his mother he didn’t quite catch.

“In here. This is my room.” The Alpha walked past him to open a door to an impeccably organized room. It was a small room, full of many things but somehow avoided looking cluttered. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Charles took a deep breath and reached out to shut the door to Erik’s room behind him. The Alpha’s eyebrows jumped up in surprise. He had clearly left the door open to make Charles feel comfortable. 

“Well. I was wrong.” He lifted his phone to show Erik the photo of his pregnancy test. The Alpha’s eyes squinted at the picture as he looked. “And now I’m pregnant.”

Erik looked back to Charles with wide eyes. “What?!”

Charles burst out of the apartment, ears ringing, blood searing, and took jogging steps back towards the elevator he’d taken earlier in the evening. When he reached it he repeatedly stabbed the down button hoping the elevator got to him first. 

“Charles, wait!”

He ducked his head and stabbed the button again a few times as Erik with longer legs and purposeful strides nearly reached him. In frustration he whirled around and saw the stairs emergency exit and leapt towards it. 

Having to physically use his entire weight to push past the heavy door, he started running down the stairs. His hearing sounded strange, whooshing sounds as he tripped a few times on his way down without fully losing his balance.

A hand snagged on his shoulders and slowed him down to a stop in between two floors. He was gasping heavily, trying to catch his breath. Shaking his head all the while. “That came out wrong. I’m sorry,” Erik apologized, letting go from restraining Charles but holding onto his shoulders to check if he was okay. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, leaning down and closer.

Charles swallowed a few times, biting back his humiliation. “I thought you should know. But don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it,” he assured Erik as he turned to go and take a few more steps down. 

“What does that mean?” Erik questioned, suddenly tense.

“What do you think it means?” Charles demands, “I’m getting rid of it.”

“You can’t,” Erik implores, taking a step towards him and then stopping himself when Charles mirrored Erik and took a step down himself. “You can’t do that. Please don’t do that.”

Charles shakes his head, a look of disgust appearing on his face as he laughs, swiping his forearm across his face to smear away the angry tears. “You said it yourself. It was just one night. What if it’s not yours?” He glowers and starts down the stairs again. “Just forget it.”

He pulls out his phone to order an uber and prepares himself to wait in the unsecured lobby of the apartment complex.

The elevator eventually opens to spit out a few people and with a quick glance he relaxes when he realizes Erik is not coming out of the elevator. His ride is still pretty far away so he leans against the wall, hand firmly wrapped around his phone while they’re in his pockets.

“You’re still here,” A grateful burst of accented words speaks from the opposite side of the elevator, from the emergency staircase.

Charles straightens, looking around in hopes that someone else was in the main entrance. For a large apartment complex it was surprising to him that it’s empty except for the two of them. “Waiting for my ride,” he mumbled unhappily, pulling out his phone to check the time.

He avoids looking up as footsteps near him. “How do you know it’s mine?”

Charles clenches his teeth, trying not to feel too offended. Erik doesn’t know his history. Erik is probably used to having multiple partners. “You’re the only person I’ve had sex with in the last few months,” he replies curtly to avoid getting into too many details of his personal choices.

“Okay,” The accented voice responds quietly.

Charles glances over at Erik who leans against the wall beside him. His knees are a little bent and his hands are clenched themselves in between them. Standing beside Erik, head reaching Erik’s shoulders, he is reminded that somehow at some point they both made a huge mistake. “Yeah.”

“How’d you realize?” Erik asks, continuing the awkward conversation.

Charles clears his throat. “I didn’t know at first. Kept getting sick in the morning and smells made it worse. Then I felt tired all the time. I searched online first to avoid going to the doctor and they all led to pregnancy. Took a test and here I am,” he shrugs.

“Have you gone to the doctor?” Erik continues his questioning.

Charles frowns up at him. “No?” He responds, confused. “I said what I was going to do, Erik.”

Erik lets out a deep sigh and let his head fall back against the wall. “What if I don’t want that?”

Charles bites his bottom lip, fidgeting as he checks his phone one more time. “I don’t- I don’t think that’s really your call to make?”

“No?” Erik questions, turning his head to look back down at Charles. “You searched for me. That has to mean something.”

“I don’t know.” Charles admits. “I don’t know if I can go through something like that for nine months. I don’t think it’s fair to ask me… I don’t even know you. We-we…” He huffed frustrated at being unable to voice the actions. “We’re not even together. We hardly know each other.”

Erik grimaced and nodded silently before opening his mouth to start a new conversation. He waited with Charles until his ride arrived. Said goodbye as he shut the car door after Charles.

“He wanted me to keep it.” Charles responded to Moira’s question about Erik’s reaction, tone still full of surprise. “That’s just crazy.”

“I just can’t believe it,” Alex repeated himself again. Still surprised over Charles’s news.

Moira leaned across the table to speak to Charles. “So you’re sure? I can take you if you need.”

Charles thanked Moira. ”I’ll let you know. Raven is against me acting so quickly,” he frowned, still thinking over what Raven had told him. “I’m seeing Erik later today to discuss things.”

“What are you guys talking about?”

The three of them jumped, looking over to see Sebastian Shaw grinning at them.

“Students asking Charles for extra credit.” Alex supplied calmly, casually reminding the friends how quick he was on his feet in complicated situations.

Charles glared at Sebastian. He didn’t want him anywhere near him at that moment. Before, he was angry at the man about what had led up to the breakup. Now, he simply felt unsafe. He was pregnant with another Alpha’s baby and Sebastian had always wanted to start a family. Sebastian was a threat and his Alpha wasn’t here to help him. His mind ignored that last part.

“Annoying, I’m sure.” He drawled. “Do you two mind? I’d like to speak with Charles.”

Charles’s eyes went wide eyed as Moira quickly stood up with a mouthed ‘good luck’ at him. Alex on the other hand had to be pried away from his seat by Moira as he sat mulishly glaring at the other Alpha. He’d done something to Charles to make him so upset that night weeks ago. Charles nodded at Alex reassuringly who eventually stood up and let Moira lead him out. He didn’t want his friends to see this.

“Why is he suddenly acting like your guard dog?”

“Don’t be nasty.” Charles snapped, sitting as far away as he could from Sebastian in his seat.

Sebastian sighed. “Fine. You haven’t been answering my calls or messages.”

Charles turned his incredulous look onto him. “Are you serious? Did you forget what happened?” He demanded angrily, shoving the papers beside him on the table into his satchel to take back to his apartment.

“Come on, Charles. It was an accident. You know me. It won’t happen again.”

“No. It won't,” Charles promised, standing up and swinging his satchel across his body to leave the establishment. They’d all finished their early dinner and paid for their meals. The other two had been nursing coffee while Charles drank caffeine free tea. He didn’t want to think about what prompted his drink choice.

Sebastian sighed and followed him out of the establishment without receiving an invitation to continue their conversation. “Let me make it up to you. We can go on a cruise to the Caribbean?”

“I have class.” Charles shut him down immediately. 

“Move in with me?”

“Are you insane? No.” Charles again shut him down.

“What do you want then?”

“For you to leave me alone. We’re through. That’s final,” Charles snapped, turning to stop and glare at Sebastian with his hand out in a stop signal to keep Sebastian from getting nearer. They were near his apartment which was close to the cafe and he was obviously heading that way.

Sebastian followed him at an easy pace while Charles tried to ignore him. “Charles?” Charles glanced over quickly to see none other than Erik with a half eaten bagel in his hand. “Is everything okay?”

Erik was early. He’d thought they had agreed for him to come over to talk at his place later tonight.

“Erik!” Charles exclaimed in surprise, unsure of whether to be happy that Erik was here, a wave of relief flowing through his body. Or worried that having Erik here and now would escalate the situation.

He was unaware he’d turned full-bodied to face Erik and much less taken a few steps towards him, his entire focus on Erik, until he was yanked roughly backwards with a hand on his wrist. Surprised, he glanced ahead of him at Erik trying to make sense of what happened when he saw Erik throw his bagel on the floor and move purposefully towards him.

“Let him go,” Erik demanded, pure Alpha dominance coloring his every word and movement. 

Sebastian snarled, yanking Charles roughly closer. “Move along, friend. Can’t you see I’m having a conversation with my Omega.”

Charles finally caught up with the situation and bodily threw himself from Sebastian, reaching out for Erik who easily caught him in his arms.

“Your Omega, since when?” Erik hissed, running a hand up and down Charles’ arms as he kept him near.

“Since Harvard, you imbecile.” Sebastian drawled, taking a step towards them. “No one else wanted him then. He’s been mine since then.”

Charles bristled, stepping out of the comfort of Erik’s hold. “I was never yours,” He spat.

“What the hell? Charles is no one’s,” Erik snarled in agreement, sounding genuinely offended on Charles’s behalf.

Sebastian eyed them with disgust as Charles stood his ground as Sebastian neared him. “I’ve never wanted to be yours. I can think of nothing worse.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sebastian dismissed Charles’s statement with a scoff, trying to stare Erik down behind Charles. “Stop being so emotional. I said sorry.”

Charles sneered at Sebastian, wanting to humiliate him as much as he’d been humiliated. To hurt Sebastian in a way he had never been able to before. “I had sex with another Alpha. With Erik. I’m pregnant and-”

Charles’s words were cut off with a smack as Sebastian promptly backhanded him, making Charles stumble a few steps away in shock only hearing the end as his ears rang. “...Whore! You take up with this _trash_ after denying me?!”

Charles glanced up from his bent over position holding both hands to his cheek and mouth, he watched stunned as Erik punched at Sebastian who only just avoided the hit by awkwardly ducking away. He was obviously not used to being hit back.

However, despite doing well, Erik was hindered by a heavy looking backpack and also lost his balance and fell against the brick wall where Sebastian was ready with a cheap shot. Charles didn’t even think, he stumbled towards Erik and fell on his knees against the concrete as he reached out to cradle Erik’s face. 

“You bastard, you hurt him!” Charles screamed before ducking out of the way as Sebastian spit in their direction and took off at an infuriating casual pace after sneering at him.

Charles turned back to Erik, “Are you okay?” he demanded, hissing quietly as Erik grimaced at his touch. “Sorry. I’m sorry,” Charles cried out, running a hand down the back of Erik’s head to smooth down his hair while simultaneously checking for head injuries. “I didn’t know he was going to follow me. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Erik glanced up at him, worry in his eyes. “Are you okay?” he reached out, his fingertips brushing the corner of his cheek and mouth, sliding down to his jaw.

Charles’s head tilted into Erik’s palm before nodding and pulling back. “Yes. Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up,” he pushed himself up and grabbed Erik’s hands to help him up. A few people who had paused to watch what was going on quickly went on their way when they realized they were both okay. “My apartment’s not far from here.”

Erik dutifully followed Charles who kept looking as often at him as Erik looked at Charles. They caught glances more than a few times.

After a bit more walking, Charles led them up the stairs to his apartment, letting them in. “This is me.”

Charles was surprised at how comfortable he felt having Erik in his space. He had never let Sebastian come over, knowing it would be harder to get Sebastian out of his apartment than just leaving Sebastian’s apartment when the Alpha got a little too pushy. It was one of the reasons he had dreaded coming back to the US.

“Please, sit,” Charles closed his front door and walked into his bedroom to get to his bathroom to collect his first aid kit along with a towel. Making his way back through to his living room he put the items on his coffee table and went to his kitchen for a bowl to fill with lukewarm water.

He made quick work of cleaning Erik up and bandaging him appropriately. Returning the items to his kitchen, he came back out with two small frozen bags of strawberries. Handing one to Erik with a dishtowel, he sat down beside him and placed his own wrapped frozen bag against his cheek and mouth which throbbed dully.

“Has he hit you before?” Erik voiced out loud after they sat quietly in a comfortable silence, staring straight ahead at Charles’ wall.

Charles hummed, embarrassed at the line of questioning. However, it made it easier to open up to someone who knew him less than his own friends. “Yeah,” Charles admitted.

“You should file assault charges,” Erik suggested, finally pressing his frozen bag of strawberries to his eyebrow where Sebastian had managed to punch him once, and turning to watch him carefully. 

“Sebastian is a lawyer,” Charles responded unhappily, meeting Erik’s gaze. “A very rich one with more rich and powerful friends and a DC apartment for when he’s not in New York if you get what I mean.” 

Erik sighed, willing to drop the subject but knowing he’d bring it up again if given another opportunity. 

After a few more minutes, Charles turned on his TV and stood up to make a snack. Sure, he’d eaten dinner, but he really wanted mangos. “Do you like mangos? I think you dropped your snack earlier,” Charles called out to Erik in his living room.

“Sure,” Erik responded, now standing at the entrance to his kitchen. 

Something in Charles relaxed, knowing Erik was near. His shoulders lost their tension and he moved around his kitchen easily.

“How are you feeling?” Erik asked, “Not about what just happened if you don’t want to talk about it, but, you know, the baby, hormones? I’ve done some research since you came by and most sources say you’ll still be feeling off.”

Charles smiled privately to himself as he turned back to his counter, peeling and chopping mangos. “Craving mangos like crazy if you can believe it,” Charles turned to smile at Erik who beamed at him before relaxing his face to be more neutral. 

“I suppose it’s a good thing you’ll go through with your plan before you get fat.”

Charles gasped and froze before turning to glare at Erik who simply smirked at him, letting him know it was a joke. And that he’d come around to accepting Charles’s choice. Charles threw a mango peel at him in retaliation, “that’s just rude,” he huffed, chuckling. Sure, they were in an awkward situation. But they got on surprisingly well. Erik had wanted to keep the baby and Charles didn’t know exactly what he wanted. However, Erik still respected his boundaries despite his own feelings. 

And they could become great friends. Whatever they found in each other that night hadn’t gone away after all. Erik ate the mango peel with a grin and Charles watched horrified, already laughing.

* * *

“Okay, wow.” Moira huffed, pulling into the parking spot that they were pointed to. “I did not see that man standing there.”

Charles fidgeted in his seat, nervous. They had just pulled into the clinic. He had an appointment and everything.

“You ready?” Moira asked softly, aware of Charles’s nerves. 

Charles nodded, even though he really wasn’t. “Yeah. Let’s just go in,” Charles forced himself to open the door and step out of the car. 

He’d made it all the way through signing a few forms and paying for the procedure before it all came crashing down on him. “I can’t do this,” he whispered to the lady imputing his information into their system. “I can’t do this,” he repeated, glancing around for a way out.

Moira quickly came to Charles, wrapping her arms around him. “You don’t have to,” she assured him.

Just as quickly, he was given a refund and a sit down with the in-clinic counselor and after an hour of talking was given a referral to a therapist in case he should need one. 

Moira promised she would stay with him as long as he needed and Charles thanked her but asked her to drive him to Brooklyn, to Erik’s apartment.

“This is where he lives?”

“With his mom, yes,” Charles responded, getting his things together from between his feet.

“How old is he?” Moira asked, skeptically. 

Charles frowned, “I’m not sure,” he finally admitted. 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Moira asked, just to be sure.

“Thank you, Moira,” Charles responded instead, kissing her cheek and stepping out of the car. “I’ll text you later?”

Moira nodded and didn’t drive away until he’d entered the building.

He felt nervous about his actions, but for the first time in weeks, he felt comfortable with his decision. 

Knocking on door number 708, he waited. To his surprised delight, Mrs. Lehnsherr opened the door. 

“Charles!” She exclaimed happily, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him gently inside. “So worried you run off last time,” then she hugged him.

Charles returned the hug, smiling at the older woman. “I’m here to see Erik?”

Edie didn’t head towards her comfortable seat and instead to the kitchen where Charles could hear the stove fan on. “Die Apotheke- pharmacy” She corrected when she saw Charles’s confused look. “English never learn other language,” she tutted to herself. 

Charles flushed, he really didn’t know another language.

“Here, you cut potato,” she then handed him a bowl of potatoes. “Wash first,” she ordered, “keep skin on.”

Charles moved around her to the tiny sink and carefully tipped the potatoes into the sink. He individually washed each one carefully before putting them back into the bowl. He was finished cutting the potatoes and putting them in a bath of cold water to remove excess starch when Erik walked in.

“Mama, Ich habe deine Medizin,” A muffled voice, Erik pushed the door shut with his foot as he rounded the corner, arms full of grocery bags and a pharmacy bag held between his teeth. 

Charles flushed, stepped towards Erik and silently pulled the paper bag from his mouth. He’d understood the word mother and medicine. When Erik didn’t say anything, Charles turned around to hand Edie her medication who immediately turned the stove on low and opened her bag.

“You two put bags away,” she ordered, and turned back to her task after checking her medication was correct. They silently worked together, putting things away when they were finally finished. 

“Out of my kitchen. To small for all three,” Edie shooed them away as she continued cooking. 

“My room?” Erik asked preemptively. 

Charles nodded and followed him and once again shut the bedroom door behind him closing them in. They hadn’t seen or spoken in person with each other in a few weeks. 

Erik was just finished taking a deep breath and checking Charles’s cheek now without a bruise when Charles looked up to meet his eyes. “I’m keeping the baby.”

In a split second Erik was beaming and pulling him close in his arms, “Thank you! Thank you!”

Charles smiled softly as he rested his head against Erik’s shoulder. It felt right. Fucking terrifying, but right. He wrapped his arms around Erik’s broad shoulders holding him close, reminded of a comfortable embrace he couldn’t really forget. Maybe all that talk of first times were right?

Erik eventually pulled back, asked Charles for permission, and fell to his knees and kissed Charles’s stomach. There wasn’t even a sign of a baby yet, at least physically.

“It’ll be fine, Charles,” Erik assured him, standing back up and leading Charles to sit on the edge of his bed, made perfectly, as he took a seat at a small desk in the corner of the room. “We have time to prepare. The semester is over in two months and I can plan my schedule around more work time to get ready for the baby. Whatever we need, we’ll have.”

Charles smiled shyly, nodding, opening up a little more at the pleased look on Erik’s face. 

“We’ll have to tell my mother,” Erik dropped.

Charles hummed, and laid back onto Erik’s bed, stretching out, feeling comfortable enough to do so. “I think the last time I was here she told me not to compromise you?”

Erik laughed, delighted at the thought apparently. “My mother is very outspoken. She just wants to give me time to finish my degree. I had to start working immediately out of high school. My father wasn’t doing well for a long time before he died and my mother also got really sick. I’ve been taking care of her ever since. We get some help with housing and her medication and I help to pay bills and food.” Erik sat up straighter, “don’t worry though, I’m almost finished with my degree. I’m getting a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.”

Charles sighed and reached a hand out towards Erik. Unable to see, he heard creaking of a chair and then Erik hovering over him. Charles patted the bed beside him where Erik sat down and then laid back to mirror Charles. 

Erik turned his head towards Charles as Charles continued looking up at the ceiling. “I’m a genetics researcher and professor at Columbia.” He admitted, turning around bodily onto his side to face Erik, deciding to be honest.

Erik reached out a hand, tucking hair from Charles’s forehead backwards. “Tell me about how you became a genetics professor at Columbia at the age of 24,” Erik opened with.

Charles beamed, unable to help himself. “I did my undergrad at Harvard. I started at 16 and graduated at 18. Did another year to finish my masters in Psychology. It’s where I met, y’know, Shaw,” he swallowed, uncomfortable all of a sudden. “He kept trying to get me to marry him but It was… well, I found it all weird so it never happened. I went to Oxford instead, after my graduation, and finished my PhD last semester. I started at Columbia this semester as a professor. I just published a lot during my studies.”

“So what you’re saying is that you’re a genius?” Erik chuckled, scooting himself closer with a hand on Charles’s waist. 

“Something like that,” Charles rolled his eyes, smiling at Erik’s reaction, letting Erik nearer. It was so easy.

“I’m feeling a little intimidated,” Erik mentioned.

Charles perked up, “really?” he smirked at Erik. 

“You’re very intelligent Charles. You know your mind. It may be a little intimidating, but in the best way,” Erik admitted. 

Charles huffed a laugh, strangely, absolutely content in this moment.

“And having your baby,” Charles reminded him.

“And having my baby.” Erik grinned, leaning in to softly kiss Charles before scenting him. Charles exposed his throat at the first sign of Erik’s intention and just let him. 

Charles held Erik in his arms as he took his time scenting him in return. They hadn’t been near each other too often for Erik to enjoy his senses throughout Charles’s pregnancy. Erik was obviously ready to be a father. More so than Charles.

“Up! Get up!” Edie snapped, throwing a wooden spoon at them that Erik deflected with his back as he sprung up to roll over Charles, crouching above him to protect them both. Charles helplessly began laughing, head thrown back as he held onto Erik’s upper arms.

Charles allowed himself to be lifted off the bed like a rag doll before being placed on his feet. “Are you sure you still want to tell her?” Charles joked.

Erik grinned sheepishly at him, “Don’t let her fool you. She’ll be pleased,” Erik assured him.

A little rumpled, Charles happily stumbled out of the bedroom to the small dining table. 

Charles enjoyed the home cooked meal. It was healthy and delicious, not even his aversions or cravings of food disturbed him, which was a rarity. What he really enjoyed was the fact that there was no question asked that he would be joining them for dinner. 

“Mama, we have news.” Erik started after Charles had finished his meal and began on his water. Erik’s mother was preparing her own coffee after both Charles and Erik declined a cup. “Charles is pregnant.”

Charles glanced at Erik for assurance before turning to face Edie who had removed her hands from her cup and rested them softly against the table. “I knew it,” she nodded to herself. 

Charles, confused, glanced back to Erik who looked surprised. “How?” Erik demanded, sitting up straighter in his seat and looking at his mother seriously.

Edie gave him a disappointed look. “When you make Charles run from here. Crying, Erik. Charles cry when he run,” she folded her arms across her chest. “You fix it, yes?”

Erik nodded mutely and Charles responded, “We’ve worked it out. Some of it, at least,” he amended as he turned to smile up at Erik. 

“Gut, meine Enkelkinder will need stable home with parents. Erik, wann ist die Hochzeit?" When Erik stared at her wide eyed without speaking, she turned to Charles, "when is wedding?"

“I don’t know what you’re upset about now?” Charles huffed angrily, cleaning up his apartment as Raven helped him. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Raven responded in a mocking tone, “Maybe the fact that you’re going through all this with a stranger instead of Sebastian, who you’ve been with for years!”

Charles glowered as he pushed the pillows on the couch into their right spot. “I’ve never slept with Sebastian. Can’t exactly pull off the Virgin Mary story since she stole it years ago,” he snapped back sarcastically in his anger.

“You could have just slept with him and gone through with it as if it were his. You’d be taken care of, Charles.”

Charles stood still, hands clenched in fury at Raven’s words. “Sebastian Shaw will _never_ be the father of my children.”

His phone suddenly rang in the chilly silence and Charles pulled it out of his pocket to check, it was Erik. He walked away from Raven to take the call. “Erik?” Charles sighed in relief as he picked up the phone for a much nicer conversation.

“I’m outside your apartment with Pizza. You wanted me to come over? Is that still okay?” 

Charles beamed at the words. “Yes! I’ll come down to get you, hold on.” 

Checking his pockets for his keys, he hurried out of the apartment with the phone to his ear. Raven called out after him but he ignored her, taking the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. At the lobby, he pushed the locked door open to let Erik in.

“Hey.” Erik greeted, kissing him chastely on the cheek. “I got two boxes, in case you woke up with midnight cravings later.”

Charles laughed, taking the pizzas. “I would say you’re the best, but last time you called me fat.”

Erik smirked, leading Charles to his elevator, with his free hand not currently touching Charles he pressed the button to go up.

“Fair warning, though.” Charles suddenly went serious, “my step-sister is at my apartment. She’s been berating me for leaving Sebastian and according to her, practically moving in with you.” He rolled his eyes as one of the elevators dinged open for them.

“She doesn’t know about Shaw?” Erik questioned him, tone worried.

Charles shook his head. “Her father who is my stepfather, and Sebastian’s father are good friends. It’s how we met at Harvard in the first place. She’ll get over it though. She wasn’t particularly close to Sebastian,” Charles shrugged, leaning in to smell the fresh pizza.

He missed the concerned look on Erik’s face as he pressed the number three button for Charles’s floor.

“We were in the middle of cleaning my living room but it’ll do for now,” Charles was telling Erik as he pushed his door open and found Raven waiting with her hands on her hips in the middle of his living room. “Erik, this is my sister Raven. Raven, this is Erik, the _father_ of my child.” He emphasized as he let Erik in before locking his front door behind them.

“Erik, nice to meet you.” Erik stepped forward towards Raven with his hand extended for a handshake. Raven, due to years of social conditioning, stepped forward to shake his hand out of politeness.

“I’m Raven, if you take advantage of Charles I’ll ruin your life,” she said without hesitation as she went to the kitchen to get stuff for the pizza.

Charles smiled shakily at Erik who gave Charles a reassuring smile as he let his backpack off his shoulders to set against the couch on the floor.

“So what exactly do you two do when you come over?” Raven asked as she set about putting plates with napkins on the coffee table and cans of sprite. “Charles doesn’t even have cable.”

Charles thanked her as he sat on the couch and both Erik and Raven took a seat on the carpet around his coffee table.

Erik glanced over to look at Charles with a smile, seeing his growing blush. “Mostly this. I bring Charles food, I study and do my assignments while Charles grades and prepares lectures.”

Raven huffed, unable to be displeased with the response. “You’re both so boring.”

Erik grins, all teeth at Raven. “We have some fun. Sometimes we play chess,” Erik shrugged, opening the first box of steaming pizza and without looking at Charles, places a slice of pizza on his plate and trades it out with Charles’s empty plate.

Raven watches, fascinated as Charles beams at the Alpha and Erik glows underneath his attention.

“I always win,” Charles mumbled with hot pizza in his mouth.

Erik scoffs, “No you don’t.”

“Alright, alright.” Raven mumbled, now relaxed as she joined the snarking.

“She liked you,” Charles announced from the door after shutting it behind Raven.

“You think so?” Erik asked, standing up to reach Charles.

“Yeah.”

“That’s good,” Erik murmured before leaning down to kiss him.

It had been somewhat a surprise when during a scenting session after sitting around studying and working led to them making out. It had turned out that Charles really hadn’t done that much with Sebastian. Which begged the question. What was Sebastian Shaw doing waiting around for Charles? It didn’t seem like he was the type of man to have patience. 

“My room,” Charles gasped as he pulled himself closer to Erik to kiss him again.

Erik led the way to Charles’s room where Charles took delight in shoving him backwards on the bed before crawling over him to settle on his thighs. Immediately the pregnant Omega began unfastening Erik’s belt and jeans. “Slow down,” Erik laughed.

“I’ve been wanting to do this all night. Thank you for coming over,” Charles turned to unzipping his own pants off, kissing Erik at the same time.

“I wasn’t going to ignore your messages,” Erik rolled them over, wanting to have the upper ground. “And you asked so nicely,” he slid Charles’s pants right off, hand running up his legs.

Charles grasped Erik by the waist, moaning up into his mouth as Erik braced himself between Charles’s legs. “You’re such a good Alpha. So willing to please,” he gasped in surprise when Erik touched him.

“Of course, good luck with your surgery,” Charles said as the student parted from his office.

“You ready?” Erik knocked as he opened the door to Charles’s office. 

“Just about,” Charles huffed, trying to fit folders of paper into his satchel. “These proposals are going to be the death of me,” he finally shoved the last folder in. “I’m making my Honor students design their own experiment and need to know what equipment to reserve or order. It’s a great way to show them if they’re really interested in the subject,” Charles talked as he locked his office door to see a waiting Erik.

“You must be a great professor,” Erik smiled at him.

Charles smirked, “The best.” He leaned up to kiss Erik in greeting.

They took a few minutes to leave campus, both of them fitting surprisingly well through the crowds, not sticking out and looking like another pair of professional students. By 1 PM they were at the O/Ob Charles decided on.

“So I’ll go in for my checkup first, and then they’ll call you for the ultrasound,” Charles relayed the information to Erik as he sat beside him to wait in the waiting area. There were a few pairs sitting around, a few children making a nuisance of themselves. 

Charles’s checkup was a little traumatizing. He’s had things inside him before, but not when he wasn’t aroused. A few samples were taken for an STD test as well considering he kept sleeping with Erik without any protection. Later, he was moved to a different room where Erik met up with him.

“I hate checkups,” Charles grumbled, trying to warm up from the freezing room he’d just left for the other one. 

Erik wrapped his arms around Charles, pulling him close to keep him warm. “I’ve always hated the doctor’s office too,” Erik assured him. 

Doctor Howlett entered the room and quickly went through the explanation of the ultrasound and giving them information they would need, having his tech Anna Marie perform the ultrasound.

Like Charles was pregnant with twins. And he was about ten weeks pregnant.

A few weeks later and it was obvious, he’d popped.

“You’re getting big,” was the first thing Erik said to him when he let Charles into the apartment. His mother was taking a nap which was lucky because Charles carried a medium sized sheet cake for her birthday.

“Yeah, I had to speak to my department director about it,” he huffed as he finally pulled off his coat completely along with his scarf. “It’s fine, I just won’t teach summer classes.”

“That’s good,” Erik hummed, putting the cake in the fridge and setting the boxes of Chinese food Charles had also brought onto the kitchen counter. “Come here.”

Charles couldn’t help the smile from blooming. “Wow, they’re really growing,” Erik continued in a soft voice as both hands reached out to Charles’s midsection. “I’ve had an idea,” Erik finally said after a few moments alone with his children. “I want to record our time together to have something to give the kids. Give them a nice story for when they ask how we met,” Erik smirked as he leaned down to Charles’s ear, “Something that isn’t we met at a wedding and decided to fuck the next day away.”

Charles blushed hard, pulling away from Erik. “That actually sounds like a good idea,” Charles admitted, willing his heartbeat to slow down and his blood to cool. In the last few days Charles and Erik had seen a lot of each other. They had talked just as much. Charles couldn’t deny that he actually really liked Erik.

Charles walked over to his satchel where he had the candles, lighter, and Edie’s present. “Do you think what we got her is enough to wear her down for the news?”

Erik chuckled, “No. She’ll just insist we get married again.”

Charles sighed in mock annoyance, “We’re not getting married.”

“Yes you are,” Edie chastised as she walked out to the living room, looking a little rumpled from her nap.

Charles grinned over at Erik. “No, Mrs. Lehnsherr, we talked about this. It’s too soon for me and Erik to get married. We’re barely getting to know each other.”

She humphed as she sat in her seat. “Should think of that before you let him get you pregnant,” she pointed at her son who was fighting back a laugh.

“Alright, yes. It’s all my fault,” Charles joked with her as he walked into the kitchen to begin plating the food he brought over. “Are you hungry Edie?” He called out, knowing the answer.

“Of course I’m hungry.”

Charles snickered to himself, finishing her plate and moving onto two others. Erik helped him take it out along with their drinks as they ate on the couch with the news on. Later, he cleared the plates while Erik prepared the cake, making sure Charles had both his and Erik’s gift to give to Edie.

After singing Happy Birthday, Edie cut into her cake giving a piece for each of them. Charles gave Erik his present and they both leaned in to give her a hug and kiss on the cheek and laid their presents near her.

Charles got her a nice set of winter gloves, scarf, and hat to keep her warm along with a new navy blue sweater. Erik got her a new bottle of her favorite perfume.

After everything, they relayed the news they were having twins. She chastised them for spending so much on her when they needed to spend that money on diapers.

* * *

Visibly pregnant with his coat off, Charles sat waiting impatiently for his stepfather to return to the table with a glass of his drink. They’d been at it for what felt like hours, pouring over his father’s will.

“You can’t inherit until you’re 25,” Kurt Marko repeated himself, finally sitting down. “I don’t know what else to tell you, but getting yourself knocked up doesn’t change anything.”

Gritting his teeth, he asked again. “Is Sharon home? I’d like to speak to her. Tell her the news.” Besides, he was almost 25. He could always just wait them out.

Kurt glared at him. “She knows. Everyone knows. You cheated on Sebastian Shaw with some lowlife, got pregnant, and Shaw finally left you.”

“That’s not what happened,” he corrected mildly despite being furious. 

“How you could let someone like Shaw go is beyond me. If you’d married Shaw when we told you to, you wouldn’t have had to worry about your Father’s will while you played at living independently.” 

“I’ll have my lawyer send for copies of the will. Something isn’t adding up Kurt.” Charles finally sighed, he had to take the train back to Manhattan for much needed rest. Finals were over and it was his first week off. He wanted to spend Christmas with his friends and Erik.

“Of course,” Kurt responded, “Quested from Shaw, Azazel, and Quested will be more than happy to send your lawyer the information,” shutting the binder in front of him with the information they had been looking over.

Charles left the mansion, irritated at the lack of progress as the family driver took him to the station.

“Merry Christmas Charles!” They all met up at Raven’s apartment who had a significantly larger apartment than anyone else. Her father, Kurt Marko made sure she was living comfortably. 

“Merry Christmas!” He laughed, stepping through the door with a small group of people following him. “Guys, this is Erik Lehnsherr,” Charles happily spilled to his friends before continuing, “And this is his mother, Edie Lehnsherr,” Charles kissed Edie on the cheek as she batted his attention away. 

Charles laughed again, moving out of the way as he took off his coat. “Also, we invited a few other friends, this is Armando, Sean, and Hank!”

“Guys, these are Raven, my sister. Moira, Alex, Emma, you know Angel, right?” Charles made introductions as he pushed his way into the apartment. 

“Is everyone here?” Charles asked Raven breathlessly. 

Raven winced, “Almost. Only a few people left,” She admitted, rushing off to do something in the kitchen.

Charles returned to Erik and Edie who were getting comfortable on Raven’s very nice couch.

“Should left me home. Too much energy in room,” Edie huffed, grumbling. “Not even Christian,” she finally huffed.

Erik smiled apologetically at him. “We’re Jewish,” he shrugged, “but we like celebrating Christmas like this.” It was only a gathering of friends to eat and drink. There wasn’t even a gift exchange.

Charles smiled, “I’m just glad to have you guys here,” he reached out to hold Erik’s hand. The more time they spent together the more Charles felt how right the whole thing was. So what if they did a few steps backward? Charles doesn’t mind being attached to Erik for the rest of his life. 

Erik was a hard worker. He had just about doubled the hours he was working to bring in overtime. Gladly took shifts from co-workers who wanted to be with their families for the holiday. The fact it was Christmas Eve was the only reason Erik had been able to make it, his job was closed for the holiday.

Charles was pulled closer to Erik, wrapping him up in his arms, giving him a chaste kiss on the forehead as Charles wrapped his own arms around Erik, snuggling in. 

The last people to arrive to the party were none other than Sebastian and his associates at his apparently new law firm now representing his stepfather. 

“Erik,” Charles warned, hands gripping tightly onto Erik’s sweater at his back. “Sebastian is here. Along with my stepfather’s lawyers. Remember me saying I was going to visit him for information about my father’s will?”

Erik rested his check on Charles’s head as he looked sideways to watch the new people suspiciously. 

“Yeah,” Erik responded, “but why are they here?”

“Raven must have invited them,” Charles finally admitted out loud. 

“Charles. Erik. So good to see you two again,” Sebastian smirked at them in greeting. 

Erik instantly wrapped an arm around Charles’s waist, holding him close to his side and adding an extra layer of protection over their children. “Can’t say the same,” Charles responded for them, turning into Erik to rest his hand against his chest in an affectionate embrace meant to also restrain Erik if he needed to.

He could feel the Alpha holding him start to tense just as he watched the Alpha mocking them tense as well. Sebastian had noticed Charles’s baby bump. His lip was curling, face turning cold.

“There you guys are,” Alex breathed out, “I need your help. Can you two follow me?”

Charles and Erik quickly followed Alex, leaving Sebastian in his spot before also turning away back to his friends. 

“What the hell is going on?” Alex suddenly demanded, stopping them with a calm hand on Charles’s arm. “Why is Shaw here?”

“It seems Raven has invited them,” Erik responded, eyeing Alex with approval at his quick thinking. 

“I did,” Raven admitted, wringing her hands in obvious worry. “Dad called me, said they were coming. That you needed legal representation. I was trying to help.”

“You should have asked me,” Charles sighed, not wanting to snap at his sister for a mistake. “Kurt lied to you, Raven. I don’t need their legal representation. I need legal representation against them. I think Kurt just realized I’m almost 25.”

They looked at him confused before he clarified. “I get my inheritance at 25.”

“Armando and Sean are in law school, I can ask them to help you?” Erik brought up, catching up to what Charles meant. 

“That’d be great. Thank you, Erik,” Charles agreed, finally admitting defeat and resting against Erik’s side. 

He decided to go home early with Erik and Edie, not wanting to spend a second longer in the company of Sebastian Shaw, Janos Quested, and Beliar Azazel. They’d stayed long enough to eat and socialize before heading out.

When they got back to the apartment, Edie quickly went to bed and Charles followed Erik into his room. 

Erik and Edie had eaten well at the party while Charles was forced to eat food that he really wasn’t interested in. Taking off his coat and shoes, Charles contemplated sleeping in his pants and sweater before Erik crossed to his closet and pulled out an NYU t-shirt and sweatpants, handing them over to Charles to change into.

With a grateful smile, Charles pulled off his sweater and took off his button-up shirt, slipping into Erik’s oversized college shirt. When he popped out of the shirt, Erik was watching him. He unbuckled his belt and slipped his pants off, breathing more comfortably at the space before tugging on Erik’s sweatpants. 

Just as Erik had watched him, Charles watched as Erik changed. Erik slept bare chested, apparently, when he wasn’t already completely naked. 

Charles climbed into bed, taking the side against the wall. Erik turned off the light and slipped in beside him.

“Are you okay?” Erik asked in the dark room at large.

“I am now,” Charles assured Erik, turning onto his other side to face Erik. Charles felt Erik shift to face him as well. “Is it weird…” Charles started, “Is it weird that this all feels so natural?”

Erik reached up to rest a warm hand against Charles’s face, just cupping his cheek. “I don’t know,” Erik admitted, “but I like having you here. I like having you close. I feel like I can protect you better.”

Charles snorted indelicately, “I don’t need protection.”

Erik was silent for a while. “Maybe not,” Erik finally agreed, “but I feel that I need to protect you. Not just our children.”

Charles took a chance, his heart was about to beat out of his chest. Erik took his mother and friends to a Christmas party he had invited them to. Erik was wonderful and good. Charles kissed him, scooting closer to share the same pillow with Erik to do so.

Erik took in a deep breath as Charles kissed him before using his hand on Charles’s cheek to tilt his head up in a way that made deepening the kiss easier.

Charles let him, reaching out to grab at Erik’s shirt and finding bare skin instead. Erik was a phenomenal kisser. Charles’s hand stretched out to touch the firm chest at his fingertips. 

Just when Charles thought the kissing would end, Erik dove in when his mouth opened to gasp for a breath of air. Grabbing onto Erik, he pulled himself closer, wrapping his arms around him.

Erik rolled them over a little, putting Charles on his back with Erik leaning over him to continue kissing him. Trailing from his lips and down his neck Charles sighed shakily as Erik concentrated on making him fall apart. He pushed Erik’s pants down his hips with his hands and knees, giving Erik the signal to continue.

On Christmas morning, Charles woke up on his side facing the wall with Erik plastered to his back, holding him tightly in his arms. Instead of getting up, he snuggled in, smiling about the night before.

“Morning,” Erik huffed sleepily into the back of his head, stirring his hair as he nuzzled down to the back of his neck. 

Charles grabbed Erik’s hand which rested over his bare hip, fingertips brushing against the curve on his front, pulled Erik closer and they fell asleep again.

“Wake up!” Edie announced as she pushed into the bedroom with a bang.

Erik groaned, pulling Charles closer under the covers to keep them well hidden. Charles woke up slowly, feeling a little queasy this time around.

“Breakfast almost ready. Babies need food,” Edie ordered as she left the room, leaving the door open.

“Does she always wake you like this?” Charles shut his eyes tightly hoping to go back to sleep, wanting Erik’s arms around him again.

Erik snorted in amusement. “ _No._ I’m a grown man, Charles. She’s just happy to have a guest over for breakfast. She doesn’t get to see a lot of people very often.”

Charles stretched out during Erik’s words before laying there limply again. “If you say so.” He mumbled, fidgeting as the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach continued.

After cleaning up some and dressing back into their pyjamas and brushing their teeth, Erik having to pull out a new toothbrush from a multi-pack of toothbrushes, they go out to find Edie. 

Edie is plating ham along with biscuit, grilled tomatoes, cheese, toast, and scrambled eggs. She has hot coffee and juice sitting out on the table ready.

Charles feels his stomach lurch unpleasantly as he smells the fried egg. Manages to swallow a few times as he sits at the table before abandoning it completely and stumbling into the small bathroom. When he emerges, Erik is waiting outside the door with a glass of water.

“What was it?” Erik asked, running a hand up and down Charles’s arm that wasn’t holding a glass of water.

Shaking his head, he gulped down the water. “This usually happens in the morning. I don’t think it was anything in particular.” 

Returning to the breakfast table, Charles, Erik, and Edie finished their breakfast before sitting around the small television and watching TV. Hours later Erik left to pick up dinner and Charles stayed with Edie who wanted to show him what she had made.

Still in Erik’s clothes, curled up on the side of the couch, Charles felt warm and happy. Edie returned with a box that she opened and showed Charles what it contained. A pile of cloth proved to be clothes and blankets for the babies.

* * *

At five months, Charles felt huge.

He wasn’t really huge. He’s just always been used to his small and slight frame that currently felt like anything but small and slight. 

He was however now very obviously pregnant.

“And that concludes our Syllabus. Does anyone have any questions?”

No one had any questions. 

“Very well. Our labs begin next week. Make sure to take your coats and goggles and have your lab books by then. I will see you all on Monday for our first lecture.” He dismissed the class as he turned to pack his papers back into his bag. As he prepared to leave he turned to the computer and shut that down along with the projection. 

As always, a few students stayed behind to ask him basic questions instead of asking when he opened the floor to questions before dismissing them. “Will we need to buy scantrons for exams?”

Charles turned to the student, a Freshman. He was still teaching Intro to Genetics for the spring semester. “No. Scantrons will be provided on the day of the exam.”

After the student left, Charles answered a few more questions to other students before returning to his office. He had a new addition in his office, a mini fridge that Erik had helped him bring in. He was officially on a strict diet. It was driving him mad.

He was also considering bringing in a small cot to set up in between classes so he could take a nap. This whole thing was very energy consuming and he’d taken to naps at every opportunity.

Dropping carefully into his desk chair, relieved at being able to sit down after standing and speaking to a lecture hall for less than an hour, he pulled out his phone. Erik had messaged him earlier asking if he’d made it to campus alright. 

Erik was a whole other thing to think about. A lot of the time, Erik was all he could think about. They’d gotten much closer since New Years. 

Erik’s friends Armando and Shaun were helping him find someone to figure out the whole issue with Kurt not releasing his rights and properties as bequeathed by his father. Sharon had taken to shunning him since the whole process began. 

She had visited him at his apartment to tell him off. Letting him know he was a greedy boy who should just listen to his step father for his own good.

Of course the worst part had been when Charles had opened the door and she glanced down with distaste to see the proof of the rumors. Charles was pregnant. He was unmarried. And the father was not Sebastian Shaw, someone she had approved of. No, instead, to her, the father was some lowlife kike who only impregnated him to get at the Xavier wealth.

Charles had to remind her that Erik hadn’t known about the family wealth because Charles had not taken it into account until well into his pregnancy. That Erik hadn’t even known until Charles let him know about his troubles, and he offered to help by introducing him to people who could help. 

He’d shut the door in her face and called Erik.

Erik had quickly come over and distracted him with scheduling their weekend for documenting their story for the kids.

Which is how they found themselves back at the beach they had first met at.

Erik had left to go get a drink, leaving Charles in their room to nap after the long trip. That must have been hours ago because dusk was starting to settle and Charles was alone.

Getting up and going to brush his teeth and splash his face with fresh water, he decided to head down to the small restaurant and bar they’d seen as they headed towards their hotel. He was starving and needed food as soon as possible before he got dizzy.

He was sat at a small table by himself, a menu set beside him, and he texted Erik to find out what he was up to. Ordering and getting his meal didn’t take long and still Erik hadn’t responded. After his meal, he decided to take a stroll on the beach and watch the water and sky in the night.

He came across a group around a small campfire. He also finally found Erik. 

“Erik!” Charles greeted, happy to see him.

Erik turned to face him and grinned sloppily back at him. “Charles! You’re awake! C’mere I want you to meet-” He was cut off by one of the Alphas pulling him in and kissing him without warning.

The reaction was instantaneous. Erik pulled away, slightly tripping over himself. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” he wiped his mouth off, staring back at the Alpha.

“I- I thought…”

“No! I’m with- I have a-” Erik growled in frustration, hand holding the neck of a beer bottle and letting it fall angrily at his side and feeling suddenly sober. 

“Erik, are you alright?” Charles asked, stepping cautiously closer.

Erik turned towards him, looking a little miserable. “No,” he admitted before turning back to the group of friends who had quieted after the ambush at the worst possible time. “If you couldn’t respect me enough to keep your distance, you should have at least respected the father of my children,” he lectured, sounding disappointed.

Walking towards Charles, he took Charles’s hand in his as Charles quietly convinced them to slowly walk away. Erik turned around one last time to flip them off drunkenly, causing Charles to snort in amusement.

“That is not what I wanted,” Erik murmured apologetically to Charles during their walk back to the hotel. 

Charles sighs, feeling a little confused about the entire thing because of the burning jealousy in his chest, “I’m sorry my friend.”

Erik nodded, leaning closer to Charles as they walked along the beach back to their hotel. “I don’t want you to think that I don’t care about you,” Erik started, opening up in a way that Charles was sure he normally wouldn’t. “I know you were hesitant about the baby at first. About me too,” he chuckled, squeezing Charles’s shoulder good humoredly. “But I also know that the more I get to know you, the more I like you.”

Charles sighed again. This was not something they should be discussing if Erik was inebriated. That would be a break of trust. “Erik, maybe we should talk about this another time?”

Erik shook his head. “Yes. Maybe?” he readily agreed. “But I do love you. And I want you to know that if I wanted to kiss anyone tonight it would be you. Not… not _them_.”

Charles blushed. Hard. He’d suspected for some time that feelings were eventually going to get involved between them. They constantly slept together. They spent so much time together just to be near each other. They were having a baby together. Charles stayed silent.

The walk in the cool breeze was slow and steady all the way back to the hotel. Inside, Erik walked Charles to the bedroom and kissed him on the cheek goodnight. Erik had every intention of sleeping out on the couch except Charles took his hand and led him to bed.

The next morning Erik woke up before Charles. He watched Charles’s sleeping face as he burrowed into the pillow and Erik’s shoulder. He didn’t mind waking up like this. Actually enjoyed it. He cautiously got out of bed to find breakfast, making sure to let Charles sleep in.

“I meant what I said yesterday,” Erik startled Charles as he sleepily walked into the kitchenette looking for food. The whole trip a generous gift from Raven. 

“Erik!” He exclaimed, taking a step backwards and clutching at his chest. “You scared me,” he laughed, feeling suddenly awake.

Erik finished plating what he had on the stove in front of him and turned to face Charles while going to set up the breakfast table. “Good morning, Charles. Waking up later and later every day.”

Charles trailed after him, called by the scent of food. “You try gestating twins and living through life as normal at the same time,” Charles grumbled as Erik helped him sit down into his chair.

“That’s why I want to take care of you,” Erik responded good naturedly and leaving no room for doubt.

Charles blushed brightly, staring down at his plate of food. He didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t forgotten what Erik had told him yesterday. However, he was overthinking whether he’d meant it as it was or if he’d meant it as a way to calm Charles down.

Erik grinned at him before looking down to focus on his own meal. They ate in companionable silence.

“I want to take a few pictures at the beach. I found the perfect place yesterday before… and I wanted to ask how you feel about making a video?”

Charles glanced up at him after swallowing a bite of breakfast. Eyes wide before nodding, “Okay.”

After their weekend at the beach, Erik helped Charles into his apartment, carrying in his things after the beach trip. 

“Thank you Erik,” Charles smiled at the Alpha gratefully.

“I’m glad to help. I’ll show you how the video comes along,” Erik assured him.

Charles perked up after the long ride, “Please do.” 

“Well, I’ll see you later.” Erik finishes awkwardly, making his way to the door. Ever since the night someone else kissed Erik, it had been like this. A little strained. Little to no intimacy between them. Erik felt terrible for it.

Charles nodded at him. But as Erik reached the door, Charles darted forward, leaning up on his toes and kissed him deep and long. “Thank you for the trip. Have a safe drive back.”

Erik stumbled between going and staying. He decided on staying a little while longer.

“I’m sorry if that night ruined things. I don’t want you to think I’m looking elsewhere for anything.”

“Good,” Charles blurted out before he started fidgeting where he stood. When he glanced back at Erik, it was to see a brilliant smile on his face.

“Yeah?”

Erik opened the door after Charles asked him to check who it was. Raven was pacing on the other side, she looked miserable.

“Raven? Everything alright?” Erik let her in, wanting to get to the problem before Charles could get out of the shower and become stressed. He was seven months pregnant and his O/Ob had warned them that twins tended to come early. 

“Who is it?” Charles called out from the bathroom door Erik had left cracked open when he left to answer the door.

“It’s Raven,” He called back, turning his questioning gaze on Raven once more.

“I’ll be out in a minute!” Charles promised. 

“Raven?” Erik asked, feeling stressed himself as Raven just stayed where she stood, unmoving.

“I came as soon as I heard,” Raven said with a rough voice. “I knew I had to tell you guys. I heard-” she swallowed thickly, “I have to tell Charles.”

“We can’t stress Charles out,” Erik stated plainly with a tone allowing no arguments, hand held out to her in warning. “The doctor told him to stay as stress free as possible these last weeks or he’d be put on bedrest.”

To Erik’s surprise, silent and stray tears slipped down Raven’s cheeks. “He might not have a choice.”

Erik sighed, the feeling of trepidation doubling. If Raven was willing to stress her brother out for what she had to say then it must be important. “Let me get you some water. Charles will be finished soon.”

They sat in silence, waiting for Charles to enter his living room.

“I’m huge, aren’t I?” Charles entered the room brightly, hair still damp. “What is it?” He suddenly dimmed.

Erik stood to help Charles sit beside him. Raven opted to stand and pace.

“I was at Hellfire having brunch with Sharon and Kurt. Azazel, the lawyer. He was there and joined us.” Here, Raven started wringing her hands, “I was coming back from the restroom and overheard them talking about taking custody,” she whispered shakily. “of your babies.”

Charles’s hand gripped vice-like around Erik’s to steady himself. “What?” Erik demanded, voice hard.

“They have Azazel Beliar drawing up motions to take custody of the next Xavier heirs. Their reasoning being Charles is an unmated Omega who is knowingly irresponsible enough to get pregnant without being mated. They will draw it out until you have no money left to fight them.” She warned heavily. “They think they can find a way to keep your inheritance if they’re the children’s guardians.”

Charles was still gripping Erik’s hand tightly as the Alpha growled lowly in his chest at the threat. “You’re certain?” Charles asked, allowing Erik to press closer against him in protection.

“I know what I heard,” Raven insisted, staring at her brother with tearful eyes, “I had to tell you.”

“Erik?” Charles turned to Erik. “You have to mate me. Please?” His voice wavered in a swallowed sob.

Erik watched Charles, trying to understand the reason this was all happening. “Please?” The Omega begged.

“Of course,” Erik immediately answered, voice rough. “Anything,” he was shocked despite knowing what Charles’s family was like. How could someone even think to do something like this?

Erik eased Charles into his arms, where he went and hid his face against Erik’s neck. Charles allowed the Alpha to reassure him in his hold, for his scent to calm him. They were still together. They would be married. No one would be taking their children.

Erik’s chest vibrated as he continued speaking with Raven. Charles kept an ear out, just so he was aware of plans being made. It was mainly Raven assuring them that she would do everything to help them. She would do anything.

With the situation in hand, if Erik and Charles mated as planned, it wouldn’t matter how hard Charles’s family tried to fight against them. Even if by some miracle they managed to label Charles as unfit - a Genetics Research Professor at Columbia University - Erik would still be there. Erik would be a buffer between the crazy Markos and his family. 

And Charles suddenly hated them all. He hated them like he never had before. For worrying him. For rushing them.

Raven was in the kitchen, giving them their privacy.

Charles tilted his head, baring his mating gland to Erik, side-eying Erik to watch his movements. 

“No,” Erik shook his head, gentling his hand on Charles who pulled back hard in shock. “Not like this,” he leaned over after cupping his hand on the back of Charles’s nape and kissed his forehead.

Charles watched him, suddenly feeling uncertain. “Erik, you don’t know them. You don’t know what they’re like,” Charles insisted, reaching out to grab the Alpha’s hand to implore him. “They won’t stop.”

“Oh, I know exactly what they’re like,” Erik assured Charles, twisting his hand to hold onto Charles’s. “They turned you away when you need them. And they try to take away the life you built for yourself and now they want to take away our children. I know exactly what type of people they are.”

“Then you understand…” Charles presses, wishing he could make Erik understand. However, there was a horrible feeling brewing within that told him he would be trapping Erik by forcing him to do this.

“Of course I do. But If we’re going to do this, I want our mating to be done properly. We haven’t done any of this the proper way. I want my mother there. Your friends. Raven. I want something we can remember, to show our children when they ask. Our union is something to be celebrated.”

Charles beams as he realizes Erik isn’t backing down from this. On the contrary, he wants to do right by Charles. In fact, it’ll only help their case in the future if they do this properly. “You are the best,” Charles admits to Erik who is grinning widely down at Charles.

They were doing this. Together. Knowing that, Charles no longer felt the fear of his family. Didn’t feel unnecessary pressure. His Mate, his Alpha, would not fail them.

Later, while Charles was in the restroom, Erik approaches Raven who has been busying herself by cleaning around Charles’s kitchen.

“I need your help,” Erik states plainly.

Raven drops the rag and turns to the other Alpha.

“I have Charles’s ring.” He admits, watching Raven’s surprised and approving face. “But I need help planning our mating ceremony. Something small. But Jewish. I want Charles’s friends to be there.”

Raven opens her mouth, “But Charles isn’t Jewish.”

Erik sighed, rubbing his forehead. “But I am. My mother would want it like this. I want it like this. I’ll speak to Charles, but I don’t think he’d be against it.”

Raven purses her lips. “Will he be forced to convert?”

Erik grins at Raven. “No, he won’t. We’re reform. He could in time if he wanted to. I’m hoping Charles will agree that our children will be raised as I was.”

Raven flexes her shoulders, “Then it’s probably a better way from how we were raised. I’ll help you then.”

“You guys look sneaky,” Charles surprises them, watching them fondly. His hand is on his lower back and Erik instantly knows his back is bothering him. Erik walks to him, resting his own hand against Charles’s back. He’ll give him a massage when Raven leaves.

“I want our children to be raised Jewish,” Erik murmured after finishing his massage and laying beside Charles.

“I expected something like this,” Charles sighed contentedly, snuggling into his pillows already half asleep. “I’m okay with it.”

Erik pulls Charles to him, cuddling him. “It’s not an ultimatum. I want my kids to be Jewish,” he explains as he buries his nose on the top of Charles’s head. “My family was nearly destroyed during the holocaust. I need to honor them. I want my children to experience what I experienced growing up. I want them to embrace their religion and culture.”

Charles’s hand reached up to pet Erik’s cheek. “It’s okay. I want you to also be happy. Our children will be Jewish, I promise you that,” he assured him as honestly as he could, turning in Erik’s arms to face him. “If it helped, I could try to convert? I’m not particularly religious but it could make things easier down the line?”

Erik smiled fondly down at Charles. “To convert, you would have to mean it. I don’t need you to convert to have a happy union with you.”

Charles buried his face in Erik’s neck, enjoying the scent of his partner. “We’ll see how it goes later on then,” he feels Erik’s hand smooth down his hair, patting it down gently. “Edie won’t mind?” He asked, suddenly feeling unsure. He was willing, if it meant his family was united and happy.

He feels Erik sigh. “She will be fine with the kids being raised Jewish. Besides, we’re the ones who have to be in agreement here. She’s my mother, but we’ll be the ones living our lives together. We’re the ones whose agreement counts.”

“I like the sound of that,” Charles admits, “I can’t wait.”

* * *

The babies were due in a few weeks but today was its own special occasion. It was the date of their mating ceremony.

After weeks of speaking with the Rabbi, Erik and his family finally managed to convince the Rabbi to perform their mating ceremony. All Charles had to do was attend the synagogue a few times and sit through a few classes between work and baby classes. He’d learned a lot, also because Edie had insisted on joining him with her full support and knowledge. 

She had lived with a generation of people who were persecuted. She did not want her future son-in-law to feel isolated just because he wasn’t raised in their culture and lacked their knowledge. Besides, she liked to spend time with Charles who was so sweet and attentive of her. She knew he would make a wonderful partner for her son and a wonderful father for her grandchildren. 

On this day she and her family who lived in the United States were attending the wedding of her son Erik and his partner Charles. And there was no mistaking the situation, Charles looked huge standing in front of everyone, so naturally every guest knew Charles was pregnant. But despite remembering how exhausted she was while she had been carrying Erik, she could almost see the exhaustion Charles hid with his genuine enthusiasm. 

There was a small celebration after the proper mating ceremony and she beamed with joy at finally seeing her Erik mated with children on the way. She had always wanted many grandchildren and could only hope they would decide to have more in the future. She understood if they had to wait a few years, the twins will be hard.

Charles spent his time being pampered and waited on by everyone, including Erik’s mother. He remembered their first meeting. He handed her a glass of water because she looked to have mobility issues. She’d gotten seriously ill after the death of her husband. Followed by a fall that broke her ankle and she was naturally overly cautious, not wanting to overburden her son any more than she already had.

It was only recently that Charles noticed that her mobility had improved. When he’d mentioned it to Erik, excited at the prospect that his children would have an involved grandparent, Erik had beamed and explained. Edie had been spending her days meeting with long lost friends who she had before her husband’s death. That meant she got out more and moved around more. She had wanted to invite them all personally to the mating ceremony and at the same time got sufficient exercise to help with her mobility. 

Charles played with the wedding ring on his left ring finger. The ring was fine and he had no idea how Erik had procured it with their limited time. Regardless, he loved the simplicity of it. 

Raven sat at his other side while Erik and a few of their friends danced around. He’d known Erik was limber, but it was marvelous to watch when Erik would look back to him with a grin on his face.

“You look so happy,” Raven commented, smiling at her brother and his obvious contentedness.

Charles looked away from the celebration to beam at his sister. “I am very happy. I have a mate. A bigger family. I didn’t know I could be this happy.”

Edie reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Having her support on this very important day meant everything to him.

“You were right all along,” Charles told her with Raven listening from the other side. “We did get married.”

She scoffed, “gute Jungs heiraten. Knew you going to have twins from moment you said pregnant.”

Charles turned to grin at Raven before turning back to his mother in law. “Oh? How did you know?” He asked her innocently enough.

She raised her eyebrows at him. “I know,” she pointed to herself smugly. “You love Erik,” she looked at him approvingly.

He slips his free hand over his fresh bond bite, feeling the warmth expand from the area to spread throughout his body. He hadn’t received it in public like he’d expected. Instead, Erik and Charles had been left alone immediately after the ceremony to exchange their bites privately. Charles greatly appreciated the gesture because he had needed the remaining time to come down from the high of the bite.

Erik appeared before him at the table. “You dance wonderfully,” Charles smiled up at his mate, wishing to reach up and touch him.

Erik grinned back, “Dance with me?”

“I’m badly balanced,” he pointed to his protruding belly. “It’ll have to be really slow.”

Regardless, Erik walked around the table and helped Charles get up. “Just one song. So we can show the children a video of our wedding dance,” Erik said in his ear as he led them to the dancefloor. 

In another situation, he would be worried about what other people were thinking. What they were doing. But today and right now he only had eyes for Erik. “I love you,” Charles smiled as Erik carefully led them in a dance.

“Is that so?” Erik smirked, holding Charles closer. “You love me? It’s not just a genius way to beat your family at their game?”

Charles could be offended. But he knew Erik. And he knew that circumstances forced them to head here too quickly. But if Charles were honest with himself, and he made a point of doing so, he knew he would have eventually married Erik. He loved him.

“Yes,” Charles vowed, securing his hands on Erik’s shoulders despite their height difference and his belly getting in the way. “I love a man who insisted on wanting to be a part of his children’s lives. Even if they came about from an unconventional situation. Despite not knowing me very well,” he blushed up at Erik. “A man who put my well being and his children's well-being before his own. Who insisted on recording a lovely story to tell our children about where and how we met. Erik, you were willing to marry me to protect me and the children from my past. I knew then, I’ve known for some time you are the greatest man I have ever met. I have loved you and only you. And that’s what I want to keep doing…”

Erik breathed out Charles’s name before leaning in and silencing Charles with a deep and passionate kiss. Immediately the guests were making sounds louder than before and they could sense a few flashes of light through their eyelids. 

After pulling away Erik leaned down once more for a chaster kiss. “I love you too. You have to know that.”

Charles beamed up at him, “I do. There is no doubt in my mind.”

Immediately after the wedding there had been no honeymoon. They couldn’t afford it and also Charles could no longer travel comfortably. Besides, they needed to be near their doctor in case the twins were ready. And they had done everything backwards in their relationship so technically they already had their honeymoon the day the twins were conceived.

Instead, they moved forward in the offense against the Markos. They had signed the appropriate documents and filed them directly with the court. There was now no way Charles’s family could take the twins without going through them as a unit. Then, they each set up a will in case anything were to happen to them and left instructions on who they would be leaving the kids with.

And they did it all with perfect timing.

Charles had elected to take a semester off from lecturing through FMLA with Erik’s full support. He was just too exhausted to do anything more than read a journal here and there on his couch before having to take a nap. It was the right decision because just soon after, he was in the hospital giving birth.

That in itself had been an experience. Erik had been at work and Charles was home alone with Edie who had taken to visiting them when Erik moved in with Charles just before the wedding. The problem was Edie could not drive and Raven was in Westchester after having been summoned by her father. 

He had considered calling an Uber but instead called Alex who lived nearby. Alex had arrived and nervously driven him to the hospital while Charles had called Erik’s job to pass on the message. The manager who he spoke to had promised to send Erik his way in no time.

After hours of labor, Peter and Wanda were born. Charles also got to see Erik cry.

They also realized that somehow Charles’s stepfather knew when Charles went into labor because it wasn’t soon after everything started that he arrived with his lawyers. But they had been prepared for that too, they were able to keep his stepfather and his lawyers from entering the room. They could hear a nurse down the hall calling the police after refusing them knowledge of Charles’s room. Charles knew they would be upset that Charles had gotten married and mated before they could push through with their own plans.

It seems they only found out how useless their plan was after the motion was rejected upon their lawyer providing a copy of Charles’s recent marriage certificate.

In the meantime, they had a bris for Peter.

And another lawyer going through his father’s will. He expected his property and all assets returned to him before the end of the year. In this time Erik had also started his final semester at NYU while continuing to work as many hours as he could and still spend time with his young family. 

Charles couldn’t be more content with his situation, staying home and caring for the twins and working part-time from home. He was on FMLA and still had his salary from Columbia, and had even picked up a class from a community college that needed an online intro to psychology professor.

With Erik and Charles in his one bedroom apartment, they kept the cribs in their bedroom, meaning they were cozy in the space. But Edie still visited them almost every day and helped him with wrangling the twins.

It made life easier to have Edie soothe one of the babies while he fed the other. Sometimes she even insisted on cooking him dinner to keep his strength up. Other times, all four of them took naps together.

On one such occasion, Erik arrived home from a day of lectures and work to find his children, mate, and mother napping in the living room. Edie had the couch and Charles was spread out on the floor with the twins nearby. He took a picture before disturbing the scene. 

Dropping his backpack behind the couch, he moves towards Charles with the intention of moving him to a more comfortable spot than their carpeted floor. Charles was still feeding the kids every two hours and was constantly exhausted between that and his work teaching online classes. It really did leave him with a sense of pride watching his mate do it all.

“You could have at least napped on a mat,” Erik murmured Charles awake who only smiled unreservedly up at him when he was woken.

Charles checked his watch and noticed he’d only fallen asleep for ten minutes. Looking over, the babies were still sleeping safely in their carriers. “It was an opportunity that didn’t have time for a mat.”

“I believe you,” Erik responded fondly. “Want to take a nap in the bed while I get started on dinner?”

“No,” Charles moaned. “Join me. I want you to hold me,” Charles responded, sitting up groggily. “Let’s just order takeout.”

Erik huffed out a quiet laugh, all to avoid waking the children. “Can we afford it?” He asked, genuinely concerned about their budget.

Charles was helped up by Erik as they walked to their bedroom, shutting the door halfway. “I looked over the budget today and we’re well within it. We returned a few things I bought for the kids that were duplicated in gifts for our wedding and baby shower.” Charles sat on the side of the bed and looked up at Erik. “You were right for insisting on both parties.”

Erik kneeled before Charles, “I wanted you and everyone to know that what we have and what we created is to be celebrated. If it helped us save a few dollars, that’s definitely a bonus I’m not shrugging off,” he pulled Charles forward in a kiss.

It was quite an experience for them, this new life. Charles spent his day working and taking care of the kids before waiting for Erik to get home. Erik spent his day between school and work missing his family and wishing he could be home with them.

Afterwards, they crawled into bed knowing that they would only get a short while to just relax into their arms before reality called them back. “I love our kids,” Charles murmured, already half asleep. “But we really should have shot for one to start with.”

Erik snorted, “You were the one who did it. We have fraternal twins. That’s all you baby.”

Charles huffed, “Don’t pretend this isn't your fault,” Charles continued his sleepy joking. “I remember you biting my gland, you did that. Those eggs were your doing.”

“Only because your body knew we were compatible,” Erik countered against his shoulder. “How was I supposed to know that?”

“In all seriousness,” Charles turned halfway to look over at Erik. “I knew I wanted to sleep with you the moment I saw you. I was drunk and told Raven I was going to let you take my virginity when you went to get us water. Even after I sobered up I knew I still wanted to be with you.”

Erik had been pressing kisses against his shoulder when he paused. “You were a virgin?”

Charles laughed, “I’m surprised you couldn’t tell. I didn’t know what I was doing!”

Erik groaned and hid his face behind Charles, “I’m such an ass.”

“Only for a little while,” Charles assured him with a gentle smile, finally turning to fully face Erik. “And you apologized.”

“I’m glad you had the courage to find me and tell me,” Erik scooted closer to Charles, caging him in his arms. “You shocked me. But the moment I heard you say you were pregnant, I was weirdly both terrified and triumphant,” he grinned boyishly at Charles. “I’ve always wanted to be a father you see. And the first person I slept with… let’s be honest here, without protection, was pregnant with my kids.”

“The triumphant conqueror,” Charles whispered into his mouth. “Now you’re stuck with us,” they heard a thin wail from the living room. “Ten minutes are up,” Charles sighed, kissing Erik once more before reluctantly rolling out of bed to feed the kids. “Call for food?” He hopefully poked his head back into the room before disappearing again.

Erik laid on his back for a good minute just grinning at his luck before finally digging his phone out of his pocket. A little pizza one night couldn’t hurt.

After ordering he made his way out to the living room where Charles was feeding Peter with his full attention on the eating baby. Charles looked up at him once to confirm it was him before his attention returned to their child.

Erik turned to look at his own mother. She was still asleep despite Peter crying so close to her. It was clear she was also exhausted and he felt guilt at having left her alone. He’d always wanted to earn enough money to care for his mother and start his own family. Now they all had to compromise to remain close and part of that was his mother travelling alone through New York to get here.

He couldn’t wait to graduate and find a job to bring his family together. With him and Charles both working they could definitely do it.

A few months after the birth, Charles received a call on his phone while he and Erik were getting the babies ready for bed. 

“I have to take this,” Charles said as he stared down at his phone, “It’s the lawyer.”

Erik’s head jumped up to look at him, not bothering to hide his concern, “I can take care of this. You take your call.” Within the time they had been together, Erik had grown disgusted with Charles’s entire family except for Raven who proved herself to be an example of a fantastic sister.

Charles nodded and walked out to the living room to have a conversation that wouldn’t be interrupted by random bouts of crying. 

When Erik was finished, he took a deep breath and walked out to the living room to see Charles sitting on the couch, his phone resting beside him. “What happened?” he asked concerned, reaching out to comfort Charles. Whatever happened, they would be fine. He was about to graduate and had had several interviews recently. Surely one of them would work out.

Charles swallowed before looking up to face Erik. “It’s done,” he said, reaching out for Erik’s hand. “It’s done. The house is ours. It’s all ours,” he laughed nervously at having all that was kept from him back. His bright blue eyes swam in unshed tears up at Erik, wanting his care.

“No,” Erik whispered, shocked. “Already?”

“Yes,” Charles leaned forward into Erik. “We have control of the Xavier estate. The house, Lofts, land, businesses, stocks. All the accounts. It’s ours now.”

“How? I don’t understand. I thought your birthday was when...” something wasn’t right here. The Markos had fought much too hard for too long to simply give it all up.

Charles whimpered and hid his face against Erik’s stomach. “Father's solicitor kept a copy of all his documents. He died too, and his widower waited for their children to deal with all his documents after our discovery team reached out."

Erik held Charles close, attempting to comfort him while dealing with his own shock. Erik didn’t have a relationship with any of Charles’s family except for Raven. From what Erik had come to understand was that after Charles’s father died his mother remarried his father’s business partner. After that, Charles had experienced neglect at best and dived into his studies leading to half-cocked manipulations that had lasted for years.

He still wasn’t sure how Charles had made it through. Charles was young and clearly craved to be simply loved. He was also very trusting of others. However, he was also an excellent judge of character. Or maybe he was just biased over the man he had started a family with.

“I’m...glad this is over,” Erik finally said. “I’m here for you. Whatever you need,” he promised. “Do you want to call Raven?” He offered the only comfort he felt he could.

Charles shook his head, still buried in Erik’s stomach. “I just want to sleep. I don't want to deal with this just now."

“Okay,” Erik agreed, moving to pull Charles up from under his arms. “Let’s get to bed.” He knew they were going to have to make some hard decisions. Would Charles move to evict his own mother and the rest of her family? Erik could only be there to support Charles in whichever way he needed.

It was a little early for sleep, but Erik intended on doing whatever Charles needed to feel better. After depositing Charles in the room to get ready he headed out to the kitchen to make sure he knew where Charles had stored his milk and even the formula just in case. He would not have Charles waking up to feed the children when he was upset. Charles deserved his rest.

In the end, Kurt had still tried to put up a fight. He had insisted that as his time and effort went into maintaining the Xavier's holdings, that he should get a portion of the assets seeing as he had so graciously maintained them for so long.

Luckily for Charles, who was no longer shrouded in forced ignorance, never relented and all his assets were handed over all nice, sealed, and delivered with a Judge's order. 

It had also been brought up that there was a reason Kurt had pushed Shaw so insistent on Charles afterall. Kurt would provide Shaw with a yearly generous amount to keep Charles, and keep him away from what was rightfully his. In addition to the allowance Kurt would give Shaw, he would provide him with additional clients to grow his practice. Shaw had been interested in making friends with those who would need lobbyists. 

Charles and Erik had promptly shut down the Marko's support and hired lawyers to begin investigations into the going ons of the assets to be compensated from the Marko estate should something turn up.

Erik was looking forward to doing the heavy lifting of the evictions Charles spent several nights worrying about. He'd sit against Erik's side and vacillate between moving forward with evictions or allowing Sharon to live out her life limited to a select property.

Instead of moving to the Westchester estate, they moved into the Carnegie Hill penthouse Charles’s mother had used when she wanted to get out of the estate. Charles had no bad memories of this one as he'd never been taken to it by his mother. Easily, they had more than enough room and space for their family. Even the twins could eventually have their own rooms when they got older without Erik and Charles having to give up their nursery for any other future kids they might decide to have.

Charles left Erik to prepare their home as he saw fit and he returned to his lab at Columbia, no lectures for him to teach until the new semester.

With that taken care of, Erik and Charles had even moved in Edie who had put up a valiant fight that she should not move in when they were getting settled as a new family, but the pair would hear nothing of it.

Their routines hadn’t changed much except for Erik quitting his job and focusing all his attention on the last busy weeks leading to his finals and spending what free time he had with his family. The rest was spent applying for jobs and even interviewing at a few different places. 

Erik didn’t sleep for his finals project week and slept through the entire day before his graduation. Charles managed to get photos of Erik and the twins napping together in bed. Photos they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

“That was your daddy. He just crossed the stage. We’re very proud of him,” Charles murmured to the twins set up in the chairs between him and raven at the stadium. He leaned over to check their earmuffs to make sure the loud sounds wouldn’t disturb them. Edie was sitting beside him, a bright beam on her face while holding a dozen roses in her lap. “Now we just wait until it’s all over and we can go home and celebrate.”

Raven smiled at him across the seats, her eyes bright, sharing in his excitement. She also attended NYU and her graduation was fast approaching them the next year.

“You’re proud of him, aren’t you?” Raven asked, taking in Charles’s happiness.

“I am,” he admitted before turning his attention back to the ceremony. “And he got a job offer from Stark Industries,” he said smugly, a lopsided grin appearing on his face.

“That have anything to do with you?” She asked slyly.

“I didn’t do anything, I just introduced them.” He responded plainly. Erik was the one who had to prove himself. He had to go to the interviews. Discuss his projects and his interests and how that could benefit Stark Industries. 

After another hour, Charles left for a part of the ceremony with Raven to care for the babies who began crying and were about to disturb the others in attendance.

Raven had gone back in to get Edie and now they were all waiting outside for Erik and the other graduates to exit so they could all finally greet him and give him their congratulations. 

As soon as Erik exited the mass of graduates he found his way to the small group. Edie was with him quickly and pulling him into a tight hug. She was obviously very proud of her son.

Erik looked up from his mother’s hug, meeting Charles’s excited eyes as he bounced a little on his feet. After extricating himself from his mother, he walked to Charles and placing a hand on his waist, leaned in and soundly kissed him. Charles threw his arms around his neck with abandon during their kiss and Erik would never get tired of his mates open enthusiasm.

The twins continued sleeping. Erik reached a hand into the stroller and ran his hands gently over their sleeping foreheads, pulling Charles in close by his waist.

Charles leaned in to Erik's side before turning to ask Edie if she was ready to go. 

They had a celebratory lunch to get to.

And Raven had promised to babysit with Edie afterwards.

**Author's Note:**

> According to Google Docs I started writing this fic on 10 January 2017 at 6:12AM. WTF I was doing up at 6AM on a Tuesday a few years ago? I don't know. I just know the majority of my WIPs are so angsty and this fic was a break from all that. 
> 
> Moira almost running over a "pro-life" protester actually happened to me in real life when I took a friend. They actually shoved open pamphlets and their posters against my windows as I crawled through with my car. They even took pictures of my car and license plate. _Texas_ , you guys. Wear protection and take charge of your own BC! Either way, fuck them. You do what's right for you.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
